CHEMOMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN OF TURKISH PINE HONEY

Abstract

The aim of the study was to characterize Turkish pine honey samples and classify them according to their geographical origin. Marchalina hellenica, which lives on Pinus brutia, is the main source of pine honey in Turkey. The honeybee (Apis mellifera) collects honeydew for making pine honey.In this study, 26 pine honey samples from five different districts of Muğla were classified as high quality pine honey via melissopalynological analysis and subjected to chemical analysis to evaluate physicochemical parameters. To classify honey samples according to their geographical origin, mul-tivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed on the experimental data. By using 13 variables (three microscopic quantities, seven physicochem-ical parameters, and three selected volatile compounds) as predictors for LDA, all honey samples were correctly classified according to their geographical origin. To the best of our knowledge, there is no information in the literature on the classification of Turkish pine honey according to geographical origin; thus, the outcomes of this study are important for the characterization, classification, and authenticity of Turkish pine honey. In addition, these results can used the comparison and standardization of honeydew honey varieties in the world.