Geographical origin of honey from eight sub-regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to define the geographical origin of three types of monofloral (chestnut, linden, and acacia), two types of multifloral (meadow and mixed), and forest honey produced over two consecutive harvest seasons in the Una-Sana Canton (Bosnia and Herzegovina), which is geographically divided into eight sub-regions. Statistical analysis was applied to the measurement of physico-chemical and sensory parameters, as well as micro- and macronutrient (K, Na, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Al) content, along with some heavy metals (Cd, Pb, and As). Using the PCA method the characteristic parameters for all eight sub-regions were determined, while the CA grouping method was used to determine the characteristic parameters for six sub-regions. Chestnut honey is predominantly found in Cazin, chestnut and linden honey in Bosanska Krupa, chestnut and acacia honey in Bužim, acacia honey in Sanski Most, mixed honey in Velika Kladuša and forest honey in Ključ.