Characterisation of two unique unifloral honeys from the boreal coniferous zone: lingonberry and mire honeys

Authors

• Anneli Salonen Natural Product Research Laboratories, Länsikatu 15, 80110 Joensuu, Finland, Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland. *Corresponding author: [e-mail]
• Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.4931

Keywords:

unifloral honey, physico-chemical properties, phenolic compounds, melissopalynology

Abstract

Studies of unifloral honeys are rare in Finland, and thus there are no common traits accepted for their characterization. In our study lingonberry and mire were characterized. The physico-chemical, organoleptic and melissopalynological properties and phenolic composition of the honeys were analysed and the floral origin of the mire honey was considered. Lingonberry honey is reddish and has a flavour of toffee, whereas mire honey has very strong aroma and reddish colour. Both honeys have high electrical conductivity and pH when compared to Finnish polyfloral honeys. They are both rich in fructose, while the number of disaccharides in lingonberry honey is four and in mire honey six. Lingonberry honey has three unifloral specific phenolic compounds. Mire honey has no unifloral-specific phenolic compounds, and its floral origin is not clearly defined.