Six supposedly unifloral bee pollens of various botanical origins were characterised by morphometry, SEM, CIE L*a*b* colour parameters and FTIR spectroscopy. Botanical origin and homogeneity of bee pollens were verified by colour and morphology of pollen grains. Water activity, moisture and antioxidant capacity of bee pollens were also evaluated. The results were discussed in terms of connection between botanical origin, composition and antioxidant properties of pollen materials.

DART (Direct Analysis in Real Time) coupled with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (TOF/MS) has been used for analyses of ice-teas. The article focuses on quality and authenticity of ice-teas as one of the most important tea-based products on the market. Twenty-one samples of ice-teas (black and green) were analysed. Selected compounds of ice-teas were determined: theobromine, caffeine, total phenolic compounds, total soluble solids, total amino acid concentration, preservatives and saccharides were determined. Fingerprints of DART-TOF/MS spectra were used for comprehensive assessment of the ice-tea samples. The DART-TOF/MS method was used for monitoring the following compounds: citric acid, caffeine, saccharides, artificial sweeteners (saccharin, acesulphame K), and preservatives (sorbic and benzoic acid), phosphoric acid and phenolic compounds. The measured data were subjected to a principal components analysis. The HPLC and DART-TOF/MS methods were compared in terms of determination of selected compounds (caffeine, benzoic acid, sorbic acid and saccharides) in the ice-teas. The DART-TOF/MS technique seems to be a suitable method for fast screening, testing quality and authenticity of tea-based products.

Fast evaluation of honey quality is a topical and significant problem of the food industry, bee keepers and consumers. In this work, 22 samples of commercially available honey aromas (with methyl and ethyl esters of phenylacetic acid predominated), 13 samples of authentic honey collected directly from bee keepers (characterised by high content of benzaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, hotrienol and 2-phenylacetaldehyde) and 63 honeys purchased from an outdoor market were evaluated based on volatiles profiles determined through solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) and then suspicious samples were identified. The results were statistically processed and compared with results of a sensory analysis. Six honeys, which differed significantly in volatiles profiles (outliers detected by Factor Analysis), selected volatile substance representation (furan-2-carbaldehyde, 1,4-dimethylpyrazole, benzaldehyde, 2-phenylacetaldehyde) and honey aroma intensity and pleasantness were subjected to targeted analyses (i.e. determination of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde, diastase activity, unauthorized additive presence). Four of these suspicious samples were found to have high content of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde (more than 40 mg/kg), three honeys had low values for diastase activity (less than 8) and three samples positive for triacetin addition. The fact that all these samples revealed a breach of least one of the selected quality parameters defined by the Codex Alimentarius standard proved the proposed methodology to be a useful tool for fast quality evaluation of honey.

Five samples of polyfloral bee bread originated from two regions of Eastern Ukraine were characterised by microscopic (SEM) and spectroscopic (FT MIR ATR, FT NIR, FT Raman and Vis) methods. Identification of pollens was based on the SEM images. Spectral differences were interpreted in terms of specific contribution of the main chemical constituents (proteins, phenolics, sugars, etc.) and pigments (flavonoids and carotenoids) of bee breads. PCA of FT NIR and Vis data was used for discrimination of bee bread samples according to botanical sources. The morphometric parameters, antioxidant capacity and prebiotic ef fects of bee breads were also studied. Obtained results expand the knowledge in the composition and properties of this beekeeping product.

Geographical and botanical origin of honeys can be characterized on the basis of physico-chemical composition, sensory properties and on the basis of melissopalynological analysis. No comprehensive description of the characteristics of Czech honey has been published so far. This study provides insights that are important for correct classification. The study analysed 317 samples of authentic honey from randomly selected localities. Due to the diversity of the landscape, the typical honey of the region is blend honey with a predominance of blossom honey. According to the pollen profile and electric conductivity, the honeys were sorted into the following: Brassica honey (BH), Floral honey (FH), Fruit tree honey (PH), Honeydew (HD), Lime tree honey (LH), Robinia pseudoacacia honey (RH), and Trifolium honey (TH). Physico-chemical properties, including higher carbohydrates, were determined for the honeys and their pollen profiles were examined. The physico-chemical properties and pollen profile are partially in compliance with the description of European monofloral honeys, except for RH and TH. Although they had the highest proportion of acacia pollen, amounting to >10% of all the Czech honeys, these RH honeys differ from the European standard, so they cannot be considered acacia honey. Further, PH honeys and FH polyfloral honeys were described. Most honeys contained a significant proportion of rapeseed pollen, which is one of the common agricultural crops grown in the Czech Republic. All the analysed honeys met the parameters defined by the legislation. Due to direct on-site sampling, honeys were characterized by a low 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) content (3.0 mg/kg) and high diastase activity (24.4 DN). Honeydew honeys had the highest proportion of higher carbohydrates, primarily of Melezitose (4.8 g/100 g) and Trehalose (1.3 g/100 g). The presence of higher carbohydrates was also confirmed in LH for Maltose (4.6 g/100 g) and Turanose (2.4 g/100 g).