HESPERETIN - A MARKER OF THE FLORAL ORIGIN OF CITRUS HONEY

Seventeen flavonoid aglycones were identified in various experimental and commercial citrus honey samples by HPLC analysis. The flavanone hesperetin was detected in all samples. This flavanone was not detected in any of the honey samples, from diverse floral origin (including rosemary, lavender, sunflower, almond, sweet chestnut, white clover, Erisarum, Robinia, Rhododendron, - Tilia, Prosopis, Eucalyptus and Calluna honeys) previously investigated. The analysis of the flavonoids present in orange nectar revealed that the flavanone hesperidin (hesperetin-7-rutinoside) was the major flavonoid detected and, therefore, this should be the main source of the hesperetin found in citrus honey. Hesperetin should be produced by hydrolysis of hesperidin by the bee enzymes present in honey. These results suggest that hesperetin could be used as a marker for the botanical origin of citrus honey.