APPLICATION OF ELECTRONIC NOSE IN HONEY GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN CHARACTERISATION

Abstract

Honey volatile compounds were analysed by means of electronic nose, with the aim to capture honey aroma profile. 49 samples of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and 16 of chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) honeys were analysed. Their botanical origin and physicochemical properties were analysed in accredited laboratory Geographical origin of samples has been known from interviews with beekeepers. Data obtained by electronic nose analysis were further analysed by principal component analysis (PCA) in order to determine differences among volatile profiles of samples with the same botanical origin but with different geographical origin. PCA result showed that honey samples from geographically close regions tend to group together, while those of distant geographical regions show differences though they are of the same botanical origin. Those results imply possibility to use electronic nose as a tool for honey geographical origin determination.

Keywords

• honey
• electronic nose
• geographical origin