Examination of the nutrient content and color characteristics of honey and pollen samples

Abstract

Due to its nutritional value, physiological effects and unique aroma, honey is one of our widely consumed foods, used for sweetening. There are several regulations concerning the composition and analysis of honey, of which the specifications and guidelines of the Hungarian Food Codex are authoritative in Hungary. In the present study, the color characteristics and nutrient composition of domestic and foreign honeys are examined. Our intention was to review the physical and chemical characteristics of honeys of different origin marketed in Hungary. As a point of interest, a honey obtained from a foreign market was also examined. Pollen is a less widely consumed apiculture product, mostly a dietary supplement known to health-conscious consumers. There is also much less knowledge is available about its composition than in the case of honey. With our work, we intended to fill this gap. In addition, the nutrient content and color characteristics of pollen samples from some plant species that also occur in Hungary are described.