CHARACTERIZATION OF HONEYS GATHERED FROM TAHONAL (VIGUIERA-DENTATA, VAR HELIANTOIDES) AND TZITZILCHE (GIMNOPODIUM-ANTIGONOIDES, BLAKE) FLOWERS BY THEIR MINERAL-CONTENT UTILIZING DISCRIMINANT-ANALYSIS

The content of the principal minerals contained in the two types of ho ney, mostly produced in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, was determine d by atomic absorption spectrophotometric, having studied 40 represent ative samples of Tahonal and 20 of Tzi'tzil'che varieties of honey. Mi nerals studied were Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Mn and Cu. Mean concentrations found were (in ppm): Ca 57.61 and 70.11; Mg 8.94 and 21.68; Na 41.9 an d 46.74; K 455.23 and 755.88, and Fe 6.05 and 3.45, for Tahonal and Tz i'tzil'Che honey varieties, respectively. As regard to Mn an Cu, no qu antifiable amounts were detected. By means of variance analysis, signi ficant differences were found in Mg, K and Fe contents. Likewise, it w as noted that with the exception of Fe, these minerals were present in higher concentration in the Tzi'Tzil'che honey. Using a multifactoria l discriminant analysis with the concentrations encountered, a discrim inant function was obtained, allowing a sample reclassification up to 100% correct in each of both groups. As a result, it is concluded that the mineral content of the Tzi'tzi'che honey is higher and therefore, its individual concentration may further used as an index for grading samples from either of the two groups.