Preliminary contribution to the characterisation of artisanal honey produced on the island of Ireland by palynological and physico-chemical data

Fifty artisanal honey samples from the island of Ireland were collected over two consecutive harvest seasons, providing two sets of 25 samples each. Parameters measured for years I and 2 were water content, pH, electrical conductivity, ash content, free acidity, lactonic acidity, total acidity and mineral content; those from year one had melissopalynological and those from year two had HMF analyses performed. Evidence from all parameters tested is consistent with the fact that they were generally of floral origin. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.