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Characterization of Sicilian honeys 169

Physicochemical parameters Table 3. Volatile Organic Compounds identified in honey samples
Table 2 reports the physico-chemical parameters of the honey analysed
samples. The mean, standard deviation (SD) and the variable ranges
are reported for comparison with international standards. Compound K.I.*

Analysis of volatile composition in honey samples Cyclobutane, ethyl 619
More than 50 volatile compounds (Table 3) have been identified in Octane 802
honey samples investigated. Differences in total ion current (TIC)
appear characteristic of each honey type. Terpenes and derivatives, 1,3-Cyclohexadiene, 5,6-dimethyl- 806
ketones, furan and pyran compounds, nori-soprenoids, and other
compounds were found. Most of the compounds listed have been Furfural 834
previously reported (Terrab et al., 2003 a and b; Fernandez-Torres 1-hexanol 865
et al., 2005). 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one, which is derived from the Pentanoic acid 911
oxidation of carotenoids (Belitz and Grosch, 1987), and linalool were 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one 980
detected in the honey samples analysed, and have been reported in Hexanoic acid 990
Italian honeys (Radovic et al., 2001). Also, linalool derivatives such Phenol 998
as lilac aldehydes were present in major concentrations in citrus and Limonene 1031
thistle honey samples (H2, H3, H20, H23 and H26), and appear to 2-Ethylhexanol 1032
behave as markers of these honey types (Alissandrakis et al. 2003; Benzyl Alcohol 1043
Rowland et al., 1995; Piasenzotto et al., 2003). A variety of furan- 2,5,5-Trimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1,4-dione 1968
related compounds such as furfural and furanmethanol commonly
produced either by heating or during prolonged storage of honey Benzeneacetaldehyde 1052
were also present in all samples (Sanz et al., 2003; Wunderlin et al.,
1998). Benzaldehyde has been also found in rosemary honey sample cis-Linaloloxide 1073
(H21), together with sulphur-containing compounds, which have
been reported as characteristic of Spanish and Portuguese rosemary 2-Methoxyphenol 1086
honeys (Bouseta et al., 1992; Castro-Vázquez et al., 2003; Radovic
et al., 2001; Serra Bonvehí and Ventura Coll., 2003). However, in Hexanal 1099
general it is difficult to identify marker compounds for this honey
type (Pérez et al., 2002). Nonanol, nonanal, nonanoic and decanoic Linalool 1102
acids were detected in the all eucalyptus honeys (H17, H27, H28 Nonanal 1109
and H29), and were also found in Sicilian honeys in previous studies Phenylethyl Alcohol 1125
(Verzera et al., 2005). A high level of hexanol, hexanoic acid, linalool
and nonanal were found in the all Sulla honey samples (H4, H9, Benzoic acid 1132
H12, H16, H19, H22). Acetic acid was detected in abundance in the
honeydew honey sample (H1), and is reported as indicative of 2-Cyclohexen-1-one, 3,5,5-trimethyl 1135
honeys from this source (Soria et al., 2009). Camphor 1136
Lilac aldehyde B 1148
Discussion Nonanol 1154
Lilac aldehyde C 1156
Quality parameters Lilac aldehyde D 1171
The determination of quality parameters by modern analytical Benzenecarboxylic acid 1173
method (Bogdanov et al., 1997) in combination with pollen analysis Octanoic Acid 1177
and organoleptic characteristics was used to determine the botanical methyl furan 1178
origin of honey. Among the quality parameters, water content Dodecanane 1200
should not be more than 20%, which is claimed in the EU directive Sulfurol 1258
with some exceptions for a certain varieties of honey. Honey Decanal 1204
containing higher water content is more likely to ferment. Table 2 Nonanoic acid 1272
shows the values of water content ranging between 13.9 and 20.4. Octanal 1290
Thymol 1298
Tridecane 1300

Decanoic acid 1368
Tetradecane 1400
Benzaldehyde 1528
Pentadecane-2-methyl 1543
Propanoic acid 1554
Benzenedicarboxylic acid 1617
Butanoic acid 1630
3-furanmethanol 1679
Heptadecane 1700
3,5,5-Trimethylcyclohexane-1,4-dione 1786
Nonadecane 1900
1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid 1917

Eicosane 1942

* KI: Kovats indices are a relative retention index scheme (Kovats,

1958). A relative retention index uses a series of standards, often

n-alkanes, with other compounds referenced against the standards.