Viper's bugloss (Echium spp.) honey typing and establishing the pollen threshold for monofloral honey.

Honey samples (n = 126) from Castilla-La Mancha (Central Spain) were characterized based on their physicochemical properties and a melissopalynological analysis. The latter showed that Echium pollen type was the dominant palynomorph in most samples, representing at least 30% of the pollen in each sample. As anticipated, a relationship was observed between the proportion of this pollen and the properties of the honey. One goal of this study was to set a threshold that defines the percentage of pollen necessary for Viper's bugloss honey to be considered monofloral or multifloral. This is a mandatory requirement in light of the publication of the European Directive 2014/63/EU establishing the regulations governing the labelling and control of honey to eradicate fraud (BOE n° 147, June 2015). By analyzing how the proportions of Echium pollen type affected the physicochemical and sensory parameters of the honey, the honeys analyzed could be segregated into multifloral and monofloral honeys. The data indicates that the proportion of pollen necessary to discriminate monofloral Viper's bugloss honey lies at 70%.

How soil type (gypsum or limestone) influences the properties and composition of thyme honey.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The objective of this work was to determine the influence of the soil substrate on the characteristics and properties of a specific type of honey. As such, we analysed the features of a typical single-flower honey, thyme honey, produced in a specific Mediterranean region. Thymus is a genus of aromatic perennial plants that are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. METHODS: A total of 70 honey samples from hives situated on limestone (38 samples) or gypsum soils (32 samples) were studied. The physical and chemical properties of each samples were analyzed using standard assays. RESULTS: Within the same geographical area and despite a similar thyme pollen content, we observed variation in the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensorial characteristics of monofloral honeys. The quantification of certain physicochemical parameters of the honey indicated these features were influenced by the soil type. Indeed, the soil type of the hives' settlement area, limestone or gypsum, influences the conductivity, antioxidant capacity, colour and floristic composition. CONCLUSIONS: The present work demonstrates that soil type (gypsum or limestone) influences the characteristics of honey, potentially providing added market value to these products.