Summer Gifts from the Hive: Botanical Origin, Antioxidant Capacity, and Mineral Content of Hungarian Honeys

Abstract

Although Hungary is one of the biggest honey producers in the EU, there is little information on diagnostic traits, nutritional value, and potential health benefits of the honeys produced in this Central European country. The aim of this study was to perform a complex analysis of eight Hungarian summer honeys, focusing on melissopalynology, antioxidant measurements with three different assays, and the macro- and microelement profile. Light-colored honey types included a multifloral honey and unifloral phacelia, milkweed, and linden honeys; dark-colored honeys were represented by unifloral goldenrod, sunflower, and chestnut honeys and a dark multifloral honey. Pollen analysis and sensory traits confirmed the botanical origin of each unifloral honey, while the dominance of Tilia- and Lamiaceae-pollen was observed in the light- and dark-colored multifloral honeys, respectively. The total reducing capacity (TRC) assay and the microelement content clearly separated the light- and dark-colored honeys. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay highlighted the strong antioxidant activity of linden honey, comparable to that of dark-colored honeys. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed correlations between antioxidant assays, color, and mineral content of honeys. The results contribute to establishing unique character sets for each honey type, aiding proper identification and quality control of these natural products.