Evaluation of honeybeesʼ products from lake Prespa region-Greece

Due to consumersʼ growing interest for natural and healthy foods, in connection with our continuous studies on bee-keeping products [1], [2], we present in this study the pollen profile and chemical analyses of 11 honey samples, 9 propolis and 3 royal jellies (RJ) from the lake Prespa region, further evaluated for their bioactivities.

The lake Prespa (NW Greece) is the highest tectonic lake in the Balkan with a unique collection of flora including over 1,800 plant taxa. The pollinic spectra of all samples, showed an interesting and unusual combination mainly from Rosaceae, Fagaceae Fabaceae and Boraginaceae families, which could develop a specific labelling, as Country of Origin Labelling or Certificate of Specific Character for these products.

Among the volatile substances (GC-MS) of honeys, a high percentage of methyl- and propyl-benzene derivatives were the most characteristic constituents, some of them found before in Greek pine and thyme honey as well as in Rosaceae plants (Prunus).

The analyses of propolis samples, led to the classification of propolis of European type (rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids) while only one sample was rich in diterpenes, probably due to the endemic unique forest of Greek juniper in the Prespaʼs watershed. From this sample the diterpenes 7-oxodehydroabietinol, was isolated for the first time in propolis samples worldwide while has been previously identified in Juniperus oxycedrus. The studied RJs samples showed the typical profile of C10-acids, characteristic in all RJ according to literature [3].

All samples have been evaluated for their antioxidant (DPPH) and antimicrobial activity showing interesting results.

• References

• 1 Melliou E, Chinou I. Chemical constituents of selected unifloral Greek bee-honeys with antimicrobial activity. Food Chem 2011; 129: 284-290
• 2 Graikou K, Popova M, Gortzi O. et al. Characterization and biological evaluation of selected Mediterranean propolis samples. Is it a new type?. LWT-Food Science Technol 2016; 65: 261-267
• 3 Lambrinoudaki I, Augoulea A, Rizos D. et al. Greek-origin Royal Jelly improves the lipid profile of postmenopausal women. Gynecol Endocrinol 2016; 26: 1-5

Publication History

Article published online:
12 December 2022