Identification and quantitative levels of antibacterial components of someNew Zealand honeys

High performance liquid chromatograms of the phenolic fraction of 19 sample s of New Zealand manuka honey, some with high levels of non-peroxide antiba cterial activity and some with no such activity, were identical, which indi cated that phenolic components of this honey are not responsible for the pr esence or absence of this activity in manuka honey. Similarly, the result s howed that geography does not influence the phenolic composition of manuka honey. Antibacterial bee peptides and the antibacterial beta-triketone lept ospermone were not detected in manuka honey. Methyl syringate constituted a pproximately 70% w/w of the phenolic fraction of manuka honey and can be re garded as a floral marker for this honey. High performance liquid chromatog raphic profiles of the phenolic components of manuka, heather, clover and b eech honeydew honeys were significantly different and could be used to diff erentiate honeys if they can be shown to be as consistent as those of manuk a honey. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.