PHYSICOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES AND POLLEN SPECTRUM OF SOME UNIFLORAL SPANISH HONEYS

In the present work a total of 19 unifloral Spanish honeys were studie d and botanically typified: willow (Salix sp.), sainfoin (Onobrychis v iciifolia Scop.), chickweed (Hypecoum sp.), crucifer (Brassica type), fruiter (Prunus sp.), thyme (Thymus sp.), blueweed (Echium sp.), spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia Med.), French lavender (Lavandula stoec has L.), and vetch (Vicia sativa L.). Unifloral honeys were considered as such whenever the dominant pollen was found at over 45% of total p ollen, except for lavender and thyme types of honey where a finding ab ove 15% of Lavandula or Thymus pollen, respectively, was enough to typ ify them. All samples were organoleptically examined and the following determinations were carried out: moisture, optical rotation, electric al conductivity, ash, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, pH, ac idity (free, lactone, and total) and carbohydrate composition. These s amples were found to meet all major national and international honey s pecifications.