Carbohydrate composition of monofloral willow (Salix alba spp.) honey
2008
Kaskoniene, V., Kaunas Univ. of Technology (Lithuania). Dept. of Food Technology | Venskutonis, P.R., Kaunas Univ. of Technology (Lithuania). Dept. of Food Technology | Ceksteryte, V., Lithuanian Inst. of Agriculture, Akademija, Kedainio reg. (Lithuania)
The main task of this study was to determine the carbohydrate composition of willow honeys. The fructose, glucose and the minor oligosaccharide content of seven monofloral willow honeys collected in Lithuania in 2006 during flowering season were analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) after the trimethylsilylation of carbohydrates. Fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, isomaltose, turanose, trehalose, palatinose, celobiose, raffinose and panose were identified and quantified in all samples. Glucose was predominant in 6 out of 7 samples. The mean values of fructose and glucose varied from 32.92 to 38.88 and from 35.27 to 42.29%, respectively. The ratio of fructose/glucose varied from 0.78 to 1.10. The amount of sucrose was 0.12-0.25%. Data obtained was thoroughly compared with previously published results and it was found that the characteristics of Lithuanian honeys in most cases meet international requirements for natural honey. Some correlations between sugar concentration and the content of willow pollen in the honey were established. However, the information on honey sugar composition is not sufficient for the reliable determination of the botanical origin of honey.
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