Characterisation and classification of Greek pine honeys according to their geographical origin based on volatiles, physicochemical parameters and chemometrics Ioannis K. Karabagias a , Anastasia Badeka a , Stavros Kontakos b , Sofia Karabournioti c , Michael G. Kontominas a,d,⇑ a Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece b Section of Statistics, Department of Business Administration, Technological Institute of Kavala, 65404, Greece c Attiki Honey SA, Protomagias 9, Krioneri Attikis, 14568, Greece d Department of Chemistry, American University in Cairo, New Cairo 11835, Egypt article info Article history: Received 27 June 2013 Received in revised form 15 September 2013 Accepted 17 September 2013 Available online 24 September 2013 Keywords: Pine honey Classification Volatile compounds Physicochemical parameters Chemometrics abstract The aim of the present study was to characterise and classify Greek pine honeys according to geograph- ical origin, based on the determination of volatile compounds and physicochemical parameters using MANOVA and Linear Discriminant Analysis. Thirty-nine pine honey samples were collected during the harvesting period 2011 from 4 different regions in Greece known to produce good quality pine honey. The analysis of volatile compounds was performed by Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction–Gas Chro- matography/Mass Spectroscopy. Fifty-five volatile compounds were tentatively identified and semi quantified. Physicochemical parameter analysis included the determination of pH, free, lactonic and total acidity, electrical conductivity, moisture, ash, lactonic/free acidity ratio and colour parameters L / , a / , b / . Using 8 selected volatile compounds and 11 physicochemical parameters, the honey samples were sat- isfactorily classified according to geographical origin using volatile compounds (84.6% correct prediction), physicochemical parameters (79.5% correct prediction) and the combination of both (74.4% correct prediction). Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The EU has recognised and supported the potential of differen- tiating quality products on a regional basis by introducing the fol- lowing geographical indications to a food product: protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI) and traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG) (Council Direc- tive 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001). Such products with un- ique composition and/or processing characteristics enjoy higher prices on domestic and international markets. The composition and sensory attributes of honey vary consider- ably depending on its botanical and geographical origin. Conse- quently, the determination of botanical and geographical origin of honey is of increasing interest worldwide. European Legislation (Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey, 2001) defines types and quality criteria for honey. With regard to origin, honeys are categorised as blossom or nectar honeys, obtained from the nectar of plants and honeydew honeys, obtained mainly from excretions of plant sucking insects (Hemiptera) in the living parts of plants or secretions of living parts of plants. Typical examples of blossom honeys are thyme, citrus and heather honeys while those of honeydew honeys are pine and fir honeys. Greece produces an estimated 12,000–13,000 tons of honey annually, 60–65% of which is pine honey, 10% is thyme, 10% is cit- rus and 5–10% is fir honey. Chestnut, heather, oak, and cotton hon- eys are produced in smaller amounts. Presently the only honey classified as PDO in Greece is that of Menalon vanilla fir honey from Arcadia in southern Greece. Initially, honeydew honeys were regarded as insect excrements by consumers. However, studies have shown that pine honey has high nutritional value due to its high mineral content (Tananaki, Thrasyvoulou, Giraudel, & Montury, 2007). Thus, pine honey be- came gradually accepted as honey of good quality. Nowadays, pine honey is considered as one of the most popular monofloral honeys on the Greek market with a price higher than that of blossom honey. Techniques used to differentiate botanical and geographical ori- gin of foodstuffs include High Performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Gas Chromatography/Mass 0308-8146/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.105 ⇑ Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece. Tel.: +30 2651008342; fax: +30 2651008795. E-mail address: mkontomi@cc.uoi.gr (M.G. Kontominas). Food Chemistry 146 (2014) 548–557 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Food Chemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem