Characterization and Botanical Differentiation of Monofloral and Multifloral Honeys Produced in Cyprus, Greece, and Egypt Using Physicochemical Parameter Analysis and Mineral Content in Conjunction with Supervised Statistical Techniques
Table 1
Physicochemical parameters of Cypriot, Greek, and Egyptian honeys.
BO
GO
pH
FA (meq/kg)
TDS (mg/L)
Salinity (g/L)
EC (mS/cm)
Moisture (g/100 g)
Cyprus
MF
Larnaca
73.72
−4.82
12.80
3.49
14.13
301.00
0.29
0.55
14.10
MF
Larnaca
71.04
−6.27
22.98
3.86
35.01
211.52
0.52
0.37
13.10
MF
Larnaca
71.49
−4.47
15.20
3.91
20.36
235.00
0.42
0.37
16.50
MF
Larnaca
71.69
−5.12
18.32
3.83
22.60
154.70
0.38
0.28
12.50
MF
Limassol
74.63
−4.84
5.20
3.64
12.64
284.00
0.29
0.54
13.45
MF
Limassol
72.16
−4.89
16.77
3.72
26.84
323.00
0.34
0.61
13.70
MF
Limassol
72.59
−4.77
14.76
3.70
21.40
150.50
0.38
0.28
13.40
MF
Limassol
73.48
−5.11
12.66
3.59
19.55
273.00
0.27
0.51
12.50
MF
Limassol
72.50
−3.64
21.49
3.65
29.32
167.80
0.40
0.32
16.10
MF
Limassol
72.92
−5.09
13.91
3.58
47.04
245.00
0.24
0.42
14.05
MF
Nicosia
74.24
−4.95
11.20
3.82
21.48
162.70
0.41
0.32
12.10
MF
Nicosia
71.50
−5.01
19.01
3.82
29.02
240.00
0.26
0.46
13.10
MF
Nicosia
75.77
−3.75
10.99
3.87
18.96
112.48
0.48
0.18
12.80
Mean
72.90a
−4.83d
15.02f
3.73i
24.49l
220.05n
0.36q
0.40t
13.65w
±SD
1.41
0.65
4.78
0.13
9.18
65.87
0.09
0.13
1.32
RSDR %
0.58
14.49
3.73
0.75
11.43
1.27
7.77
3.50
1.03
Greece
P
Rhodes
66.47
−4.70
32.68
4.24
22.00
404.00
0.41
0.78
15.50
F
Messinia
69.66
−5.73
26.84
5.05
25.00
346.00
0.54
1.01
17.60
P
Rhodes
66.53
−4.76
32.68
4.39
23.20
425.00
0.46
0.79
15.30
WT
Lakonia
74.17
−4.14
14.76
4.45
30.50
447.00
0.65
0.82
13.60
T
Rhodes
74.19
−4.54
15.25
4.19
14.00
240.00
0.25
0.48
14.45
MF
Ioannina
50.83
8.83
57.68
3.98
40.60
394.86
0.24
0.77
17.20
MF
Metsovo
62.59
−2.31
37.37
4.29
28.00
364.00
0.36
0.73
13.20
P
Thassos
69.56
−5.45
25.94
4.95
32.00
437.00
0.46
1.01
15.05
MF
Ioannina
51.08
8.95
58.12
4.32
41.20
324.00
0.25
0.55
18.90
CE
Arta
71.33
−3.04
13.35
4.81
23.39
294.09
0.87
0.61
17.90
F
Karditsa
72.94
−4.71
18.02
4.68
29.00
678.00
1.25
1.90
17.90
CE
Arta
77.08
−3.13
7.03
3.41
36.40
332.00
0.34
0.64
17.20
F
Metsovo
73.04
−3.85
16.71
4.72
26.50
645.00
0.87
1.25
17.60
Mean
67.65b
−2.20e
27.42g
4.42j
28.60l
410.07o
0.53r
0.87u
16.26x
±SD
8.36
5.01
16.18
0.44
7.69
126.38
0.30
0.37
1.83
RSDR %
0.62
31.82
2.04
0.63
9.79
0.68
5.28
2.60
1.72
Egypt
CL
GCA
76.14
−2.65
7.56
3.38
6.50
112.20
0.11
0.22
16.33
CL
GCA
75.88
−2.85
7.76
3.61
8.00
126.20
0.12
0.25
16.99
CL
GCA
76.05
−3.07
8.34
3.49
6.50
129.40
0.12
0.26
15.96
CL
GCA
76.72
−2.79
6.93
3.46
8.00
132.60
0.13
0.27
16.51
CL
GCA
75.70
−3.06
9.42
3.40
7.00
131.00
0.12
0.26
15.96
CL
GCA
76.69
−3.65
5.88
3.31
7.50
127.20
0.12
0.25
16.84
CL
GCA
76.45
−3.90
6.98
3.27
8.00
117.60
0.11
0.24
16.53
CL
GCA
75.88
−3.14
4.83
3.26
7.00
114.70
0.11
0.23
17.05
Mean
76.19c
−3.14e
7.21h
3.40k
7.31m
123.86p
0.12s
0.25v
16.52x
±SD
0.39
0.43
1.42
0.12
0.65
7.87
0.01
0.02
0.43
RSDR %
0.55
22.29
7.77
0.82
38.30
2.26
11.67
3.36
1.02
The reported results are the mean of three independent replicates (), with the exception of colour parameters that are the mean of five independent replicates (). Different lowercase letter in each column of the average value represents statistically significant differences for each physicochemical parameter according to the production area (). N: the number of honey samples; BO: botanical origin; GO: geographical origin; GCA: greater Cairo area; MF: multifloral; P: pine; F: fir; CE: citrus and erica; WT: wild thyme; T: thyme; CL: clover; FA: free acidity; TDS: total dissolved solids; EC: electrical conductivity; SD: standard deviation; RSDR %: interlaboratory variation.
