OPTIMIZED LIKENS-NICKERSON METHODOLOGY FOR QUANTIFYING HONEY FLAVORS

Dichloromethane extraction under an inert atmosphere followed by simultaneous steam distillation-dichloromethane extraction appears to be a useful method for honey flavor quantification. The organoleptic features of extracts obtained in this way closely match those of the honey samples. Recovery factors obtained for a large number of chemicals highlight the critical impact of parameters such as oxygen level, extraction time, and cold finger temperature. While recovery is excellent for around 70 tested chemicals when these optimized conditions are used, recovery factors must be taken into account for accurate quantification of hydrophilic compounds.