Multidisciplinary analysis of Italian Alpine wildflower honey reveals criticalities, diversity and value

Abstract

Wildflower honeys produced in mountain grasslands are an expression of the biodiversity of these fragile habitats. Despite its importance, the botanical origin of honey is often defined without performing formal analysis. The aim of the study was to characterize six wildflower mountain honeys produced in the Italian Alps with different analytic techniques (SPME–GC–MS, HPLC-Orbitrap, cicatrizing and antioxidant activity) alongside melissopalynological analysis and botanical definition of the production area. Even though the apiaries were in mountain grasslands rich in Alpine herbaceous species, the honey could be defined as rhododendron/raspberry unifloral or raspberry and rhododendron bifloral while the honey produced at the lowest altitude differed due to the presence of linden, heather and chestnut. The non-compliance of the honey could be due to habitat (meadows and pastures) fragmentation, but also to specific compounds involved in the plant–insect relationship, such as kynurenic acid, present in a high quantity in the sample rich in chestnut pollen. 255 volatile compounds were detected as well as some well-known markers of specific botanic essences, in particular chestnut, linden and heather, also responsible for most of the differences in aroma profiling. A high correlation between nicotinaldehyde content and percentage of raspberry pollen (r = 0.853, p < 0.05) was found. Phenolic acid and hydroxy-fatty acid were predominant in the chestnut pollen dominant honey, which presented the highest antioxidant activity and the lowest cicatrizing activity, while the flavonoid fraction was accentuated in one sample (rhododendron pollen prevalent), that was also the one with the highest effect on wound closure, although all samples had similar cicatrizing effects apart from the chestnut pollen dominant honey (lowest cicatrizing activity). Our study highlighted the difficulty of producing mountain wildflower honey and the importance of a thorough characterization of this product, also to encourage its production and valorisation.

Impact of genus (Geotrigona, Melipona, Scaptotrigona) on the targeted 1H-NMR organic profile, and authenticity test by interphase emulsion of honey processed in cerumen pots by stingless bees in Ecuador

“…Resonances of minor compounds also play a certain role such as quinoline alkaloids and kynurenic acid for chestnut honey ( Truchado et al, 2009 ). Kynurenic acid was found in small concentrations in Alpine honey from Italy ( Leoni et al, 2021 ). In Moroccan jujube Ziziphus lotus honey kynurenic acid contents were 17.7 mg/kg by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS and 6.6 mg/kg by GC-EI-MS ( Khallouki et al, 2021 ).…”

Restoration of Vegetation Greenness and Possible Changes in Mature Forest Communities in Two Forests Damaged by the Vaia Storm in Northern Italy

“…Furthermore, the development of plant communities such as the Rubetum idaei after the disturbance event, where important foraging resources for solitary and domestic bees as Rubus idaeus are present [ 79 ], could favor the communities of pollinators in higher mountain habitats, providing an environment richer in foraging resources compared with the previous Calamagrostio arundinaceae-Piceetum spruce forests. Additionally, the clearings in the canopy create more nesting sites for some solitary bees such as bumblebees, too [ 80 , 81 ].…”

Nicotinaldehyde, a Novel Precursor of NAD Biosynthesis, Abrogates the Anti-Cancer Activity of an NAD-Lowering Agent in Leukemia

“…Very few studies on nicotinaldehyde are reported in the scientific literature. Nicotinaldehyde is a natural compound found in plants and bacteria, which can also be contained in foods of plant origin such as honey [17]. However, little is known about the role of nicotinaldehyde in the NAD metabolism in humans.…”

“…Nicotinaldehyde is a natural compound found in plants and bacteria, and it is used as an intermediate for molecule synthesis in the pharmaceutical and agronomical industries. It can also be contained in foods of plant origin such as honey [17]. To date, only a few studies have investigated the role of nicotinaldehyde in NAD metabolism in humans.…”