title: Characterization of Botanical and Geographical Origin of Corsican "Spring" Honeys by Melissopalynological and Volatile Analysis.
abstract: Pollen spectrum, physicochemical parameters and volatile fraction of Corsican "spring" honeys were investigated with the aim of developing a multidisciplinary method for the qualification of honeys in which nectar resources are under-represented in the pollen spectrum. Forty-one Corsican "spring" honeys were certified by melissopalynological analysis using directory and biogeographical origin of 50 representative taxa. Two groups of honeys were distinguished according to the botanical origin of samples: "clementine" honeys characterized by the association of cultivated species from oriental plain and other "spring" honeys dominated by wild herbaceous taxa from the ruderal and/or maquis area. The main compounds of the "spring" honey volatile fraction were phenylacetaldehyde, benzaldehyde and methyl-benzene. The volatile composition of "clementine" honeys was also characterized by three lilac aldehyde isomers. Statistical analysis of melissopalynological, physicochemical and volatile data showed that the presence ofCitruspollen in "clementine" honeys was positively correlated with the amount of linalool derivatives and methyl anthranilate. Otherwise, the other "spring" honeys were characterized by complex nectariferous species associations and the content of phenylacetaldehyde and methyl syringate.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, UMR CNRS 6134, Grimaldi Campus, Corsican University, BP 52, Corte 20250, France. yang@univ-corse.fr.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, UMR CNRS 6134, Grimaldi Campus, Corsican University, BP 52, Corte 20250, France. mjbattesti@univ-corse.fr.
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Battesti
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, UMR CNRS 6134, Grimaldi Campus, Corsican University, BP 52, Corte 20250, France. costa@univ-corse.fr.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Product Chemistry, UMR CNRS 6134, Grimaldi Campus, Corsican University, BP 52, Corte 20250, France. paolini@univ-corse.fr.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paolini
keywords: GC; HS-SPME; clementine and asphodel; honey; melissopalynological analysis