title: Polish Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis L.) Honey, Chromatographic Fingerprints, and Chemical Markers.
abstract: A case study of PolishMelilotus officinalishoney was presented for the first time. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (after steam distillation, Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic solvent extraction, and solid phase extraction (SPE)) and targeted high performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PAD) were applied to determine the characteristic components of honey. While ubiquitous in most honeys, carbohydrates, terpene derivatives, and phenylacetic acid dominated in the Soxhlet extracts (25.54%) and in the application of SPE (13.04%). In addition, lumichrome (1.85%) was found, and may be considered as a marker of this honey. Due to the presence of these compounds, Polish yellow sweet clover honey is similar to French lavender honeys. The major compounds determined in the methanolic extract were (+)-catechine (39.7%) and gallic acid (up to 30%), which can be regarded as specific chemical markers of the botanical origin of melilot honey. With respect to total phenolic and flavonoid contents, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were determined spectrophotometrically. The honey exhibited a moderate antioxidant activity, typical for light honeys, which correlates well with its phenolic and flavonoid composition.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Opole University, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland. izajm@uni.opole.pl.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jasicka-Misiak
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Opole University, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland. makowicz.ewa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makowicz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry, Opole University, Oleska 48, 45-052 Opole, Poland. natalka0703@op.pl.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stanek
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry*; D002392:Catechin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D029902:Medicago; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D005707:Gallic Acid; D002392:Catechin
keywords: Melilotus officinalis; honey markers; phenolic; volatile; yellow sweet clover