Honey Composition, Therapeutic Potential and Authentication through Novel Technologies: An Overview

Abstract

Honey is acknowledged as a natural functional food with additional health benefits. Due to its medicinal and therapeutic properties, honey is being used in both pharmaceutical and food industries to develop products as a remedy against various types of ailments. Honey contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and other key compounds that play an important role in human health. Honey possesses anticancer and antimicrobial properties as well as contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance. Some studies also highlighted the antidiabetic properties of honey. It supports the respiratory system and contributes beneficial effects to the cardiovascular system. As a functional and nutraceutical food, honey plays a significant role. Due to the modernization and digitalization in this era, the role of novel technologies for characterization and authentication of honey cannot be ignored. Hence, the main purpose of this chapter is to review the latest studies related to honey’s advantageous effects on human health and to highlight the novel technologies to detect the impurities in honey.