Romanian Honey: Characterization and Classification

Abstract

Making a significant contribution to the European honey trade, Romania has been lately engaged in an exhaustive process of ensuring product conformity. Both official bodies and research groups have taken part in the efforts to establish an efficient framework for characterizing and authenticating unifloral and polyfloral honey samples produced and commercialized. Innovative contributions of different Romanian scientists to the development of simple and/or effective investigation techniques are discussed, as well as the results gained in characterizing and classifying samples according to their botanical and/ or geographical origin. Information on the honey production and commercialization in the last 25 years is also provided, as well as a sketch of the Romanian consumer profile.

Bioactive Molecules for Discriminating Robinia and Helianthus Honey: High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Electron Spray Ionization–Mass Spectrometry Polyphenolic Profile and Physicochemical Determinations

“…The available scientific literature indicates increasing published research data regarding the chemical composition, bioactivity, the profile and content of flavonoids and phenolic acids in Romanian honeys [ 17 , 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. This is due to the variety and quality of Romanian honey, the fact that agriculture is less developed and chemicalized, and the fact that different landscapes provide very good “raw material” for the bees (nectar, pollen and honeydew), materials clean of any contaminants and having a huge variety of botanical origins.…”

“…Therefore, the main objective of this work was to identify and quantify the content of these phytochemicals as possible biochemical markers for two types of Romanian floral honeys ( Robinia and Helianthus ) and to compare with those reported for the same honey types from Europe. We chose these honey types due to their market demands outside of Romania (Black locust honey) [ 24 , 33 ] and the high bioactive properties of sunflower honey both for humans and for bees, as demonstrated in different other studies [ 34 , 35 ].…”

Research on Honey Crystalization

“…The hydroxymethylfurfural forms, with barbituric acid, in the presence of para-toluidine a red complex [17]. The color intensity is proportional to the hydroxymethylfurfural content and is determined using a spectrophotometer (Spectrophotometer UV-Vis Lambda EZ 201) at 550 nm of wavelength, equipped with cuvettes with a 1 cm of layer thickness [16].…”

Online monitoring of drop/particle size and size distribution in liquid–liquid dispersions and suspension polymerizations by optical reflectance measurements

“…The off‐line monitoring was always carried out by withdrawing the dispersion sample from reactor at a certain time interval and giving an effective colloidal protection to drops/particles by using a concentrated solution of dispersant or emulsifier solution. The morphology and properties of drop/particle were then characterized by using either the microphotographic or dynamic laser diffraction techniques . Online measurement techniques used in suspension polymerization included the acoustic attenuation spectroscopy, endoscope with camera, stereomicroscope, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS), and so forth.…”

“…The influences of dispersant and initiator usages, monomer hold up, reaction temperature, and agitation speed on the characteristic intervals of the drop size as well as the polymerization kinetics were examined. Isopescu et al . used a microscopic method to evaluate the drop/particles sizes and distribution in suspension polymerization of MMA, and a population balance model was used to describe the breakage and coalescence mechanism.…”