Physicochemical Characterization and Biological Properties of Pine Honey Produced across Greece
Eleni Tsavea,
Fotini-Paraskevi Vardaka,
Elisavet Savvidaki,
Abdessamie Kellil,
Dimitrios Kanelis,
Marcela Bucekova,
Spyros Grigorakis,
Jana Godocikova,
Panagiota Gotsiou,
Maria Dimou,
Sophia Loupassaki,
Ilektra Remoundou,
Christina Tsadila,
Tilemachos G. Dimitriou,
Juraj Majtan,
Chrysoula Tananaki,
Eleftherios Alissandrakis,
Dimitris Mossialos
Affiliations
Eleni Tsavea
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology–Molecular Bacteriology–Virology, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Fotini-Paraskevi Vardaka
Laboratory of Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products, Landscape and Environment, Department of Agriculture, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Stavromenos PC, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Elisavet Savvidaki
Laboratory of Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products, Landscape and Environment, Department of Agriculture, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Stavromenos PC, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Abdessamie Kellil
Food Quality & Chemistry of Natural Products, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, 73100 Chania, Greece
Dimitrios Kanelis
Laboratory of Apiculture-Sericulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Marcela Bucekova
Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy, Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
Spyros Grigorakis
Food Quality & Chemistry of Natural Products, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, 73100 Chania, Greece
Jana Godocikova
Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy, Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
Panagiota Gotsiou
Food Quality & Chemistry of Natural Products, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, 73100 Chania, Greece
Maria Dimou
Laboratory of Apiculture-Sericulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Sophia Loupassaki
Food Quality & Chemistry of Natural Products, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, 73100 Chania, Greece
Ilektra Remoundou
Food Quality & Chemistry of Natural Products, Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, 73100 Chania, Greece
Christina Tsadila
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology–Molecular Bacteriology–Virology, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Tilemachos G. Dimitriou
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology–Molecular Bacteriology–Virology, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Juraj Majtan
Laboratory of Apidology and Apitherapy, Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska Cesta 21, 845 51 Bratislava, Slovakia
Chrysoula Tananaki
Laboratory of Apiculture-Sericulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, School of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Eleftherios Alissandrakis
Laboratory of Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products, Landscape and Environment, Department of Agriculture, Hellenic Mediterranean University, Stavromenos PC, 71410 Heraklion, Greece
Dimitris Mossialos
Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology–Molecular Bacteriology–Virology, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Biopolis, 41500 Larissa, Greece
Pine honey is a honeydew honey produced in the East Mediterranean region (Greece and Turkey) from the secretions of the plant sucking insect Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius) (Coccoidea: Marchalini-dae) feeding on living parts of Pinus species. Nowadays, honeydew honey has attracted great attention due to its biological activities. The aim of this study was to study unifloral pine honey samples produced in Greece regarding their physicochemical parameters and antioxidant and antibacterial activity against five nosocomial and foodborne pathogens. These honeys showed physicochemical and microscopic characteristics within the legal limits, except for diastase activity, a parameter known to be highly variable, depending on various factors. Substantially higher levels of H2O2 were estimated compared to other types of honeydew honey, whereas protein content was similar. The total phenolic content was 451.38 ± 120.38 mg GAE/kg and antiradical activity ranged from 42.43 to 79.33%, while FRAP values (1.87 to 9.43 mmol Fe+2/kg) were in general higher than those reported in the literature. Various correlations could be identified among these parameters. This is the first attempt to investigate in depth the antibacterial activity of pine honey from Greece and correlate it with honey quality parameters. All tested honeys exerted variable but significant antibacterial activity, expressed as MIC and MBC values, comparable or even superior to manuka honey for some tested samples. Although honey antibacterial activity is mainly attributed to hydrogen peroxide and proteins in some cases (demonstrated by elevated MICs after catalase and Proteinase K treatment, respectively), no strong correlation between the antibacterial activity and hydrogen peroxide concentration or total protein content was demonstrated in this study. However, there was a statistically significant correlation of moisture, antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneuomoniae, as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activity against Salmonella ser. Typhimurium. Interestingly, a statistically significant negative correlation has been observed between diastase activity and Staphylococcus aureus antibacterial activity. Overall, our data indicate multiple mechanisms of antibacterial activity exerted by pine honey.
