title: Relevant principal component analysis applied to the characterisation of Portuguese heather honey.
abstract: The main purpose of this study was the characterisation of 'Serra da Lousã' heather honey by using novel statistical methodology, relevant principal component analysis, in order to assess the correlations between production year, locality and composition. Herein, we also report its chemical composition in terms of sugars, glycerol and ethanol, and physicochemical parameters. Sugars profiles from 'Serra da Lousã' heather and 'Terra Quente de Trás-os-Montes' lavender honeys were compared and allowed the discrimination: 'Serra da Lousã' honeys do not contain sucrose, generally exhibit lower contents of turanose, trehalose and maltose and higher contents of fructose and glucose. Different localities from 'Serra da Lousã' provided groups of samples with high and low glycerol contents. Glycerol and ethanol contents were revealed to be independent of the sugars profiles. These data and statistical models can be very useful in the comparison and detection of adulterations during the quality control analysis of 'Serra da Lousã' honey.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Victor V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Valentão
authors.forename: João C M F
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Isabel
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Paula B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Branca M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D005990:Glycerol / Q000032:analysis; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D008320:Maltose / Q000032:analysis; D011174:Portugal; D011786:Quality Control; D013395:Sucrose / Q000032:analysis; D014199:Trehalose / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D004187:Disaccharides; D000431:Ethanol; D013395:Sucrose; D008320:Maltose; C029454:turanose; D014199:Trehalose; D005990:Glycerol