Background: vegetative diversity is based on different climate and geographical origins. In terms of beekeeping, herbal diversity is strongly correlated to the production of a wide variety of honey. Therefore, based on the existing plant diversity in each country, multiple honey varieties are produced with different health characteristics. While beekeeping potential and consumption preferences are reflected in products’ variety, this leads to an increase in the region’s economy and extensive export. In the last years, monofloral honey has gained interest from consumers and especially in the medicinal field due to the presence of phytochemicals which are directly linked to health benefits, wound healing, antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Scope and approach: this review aims to highlight the physicochemical properties, mineral profiles and antioxidant activities of selected monofloral honeys based on their botanical and geographical origin. Moreover, this review focuses on the intercorrelation between monofloral honey’s antioxidant compounds and in vitro and in vivo activities, focusing on the apoptosis and cell proliferation inhibition in various cell lines, with a final usage of honey as a potential therapeutic product in the fight towards reducing tumor growth. Key findings and conclusions: multiple studies have demonstrated that monofloral honeys have different physicochemical structures and bioactive compounds. Useful chemical markers to distinguish between monofloral honeys were evidenced, such as: 2-methoxybenzoic acid and trimethoxybenzoic acid are distinctive to Manuka honey while 4-methoxyphenylacetic acid is characteristic to Kanuka honey. Furthermore, resveratrol, epigallocatechin and pinostrobin are markers distinct to Sage honey, whereas carvacrol and thymol are found in Ziziphus honey. Due to their polyphenolic profile, monofloral honeys have significant antioxidant activity, as well as antidiabetic, antimicrobial and anticancer activities. It was demonstrated that Pine honey decreased the MDA and TBARS levels in liver, kidney, heart and brain tissues, whereas Malicia honey reduced the low-density lipoprotein level. Consumption of Clover, Acacia and Gelam honeys reduced the weight and adiposity, as well as trygliceride levels. Furthermore, the antiproliferative effect of chrysin, a natural flavone in Acacia honey, was demonstrated in human (A375) and murine (B16-F1) melanoma cell lines, whereas caffeic acid, a phenolic compound found in Kelulut honey, proves to be significant candidate in the chemoprevention of colon cancer. Based on these features, the use of hiney in the medicinal field (apitherapy), and the widespread usage of natural product consumption, is gaining interest by each year.

Sustainability is considered in relation to the consumption of local food. Consumers have recently become more concerned about food safety, including potential impurities in Asian honey. Some consumers believe that eating local honey products might be a way to avoid food safety risks. Food security is also guaranteed by certification marks that create confidence in consumers, and help their decisions in buying. The aim of the paper is to identify the main characteristics of Hungarian consumer preferences when buying honey. In this article we analyse the consumer behaviour of Hungarian hive products. This study was supported by the data from a nationwide consumer survey carried out in 2016. A total of 1584 subjects participated in this survey, the sample is representative for gender, age and highest level of education in Hungary. The results of our study show the actual potential consumers of the Hungarian honey products. Based on the results, the consumers we interviewed consider the consumption of honey of Hungarian origin very important, and they prefer to purchase these products directly or indirectly from the beekeepers. Well-informed consumers in terms of honey certification marks consider some features of honey (Hungarian origin; region of origin; brand, producer name; certification marks) significantly more important than uninformed consumers. Awareness of the certification marks helps consumer decisions which are confirmed by the fact that consumers who are informed about honey certification marks were not affected by honey counterfeits.

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A pálinka iránti érdeklődés az ezredforduló óta jelentősen megnőtt. Bővült a kínálat és a pálinkaféleségek köre, magasabbra pozicionálódott a pálinka, változtak a fogyasztói szokások és elvárások. Tanulmányunkban a 2018 májusában lefolytatott kvalitatív interjúk eredményeit ismertetjük, illetve hasonlítjuk össze korábbi pálinkával kapcsolatos kvalitatív kutatások eredményeivel. Vizsgálatunk során alapvető célunk volt a pálinkával kapcsolatos fogyasztói percepciók és preferenciák változásainak feltárása, illetve a pálinka mint termék fogyasztói megítélésében bekövetkezett változások elemzése. Az elmúlt nyolc év változásait kívántuk feltárni, különös hangsúlyt fektetve a fogyasztók által ideálisnak gondolt pálinka jellemzőinek a megismerésére és leírására, valamint a hagyományosan kedvelt „házi pálinka” fogyasztói megítélésében bekövetkezett változásokra.

Honey is becoming increasingly popular among consumers for its health and nutritional benefits as well as several other functions. The survey identifies four main dimensions of honey-purchasing motivation: medical benefits of honey consumption, dietary quality, cosmetics and sweetener. There are very limited empirical analysis of the aspects of honey consumption. The present study contributes to fill this knowledge gap through a qualitative study of consumer perceptions, preferences and attitudes towards honey among Hungarian consumers through 86 in-depth interviews. The study identifies different consumer segments, which are also willing to pay premium prices for the Hungarian or local honey. Quality cues are defined by search attributes of the product (colour, taste, aroma, thickness), and ethical attributes (warranties, brand name, country-of-origin).