Acta Alimentaria, Vol. 38 (4), pp. 459–469 (2009) DOI: 10.1556/AAlim.38.2009.4.6 0139-3006/$ 20.00  2009 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest MONOSACCHARIDES AND OLIGOSACCHARIDES IN FOUR TYPES OF SLOVENIAN HONEY M. KOROŠEC a *, J. BERTONCELJ a , A. PEREYRA GONZALES b , U. KROPF a , U. GOLOB c and T. GOLOB a a Chair of Food Assessment, Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana. Slovenia b Chair of Neuroethology, Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ve<na pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana. Slovenia c Institute of Public Health Novo mesto, Mej vrti 5, SI-8000 Novo mesto. Slovenia (Received: 20 September 2007; accepted: 28 July 2008) Honey consists of simple carbohydrates. Glucose and fructose represent the majority of honey’s carbohydrate profile, while a spectrum of oligosaccharides is in minority, but typical for the honey type regarding its main source nectar or honeydew, respectively. The content of different carbohydrates was determined in 63 samples of four types of Slovenian honey (acacia, spruce, multifloral and forest honey). The honey samples were of different botanical and geographical origin, and were analysed six to ten months after harvest. The type of honey was determined by sensory analysis and electrical conductometry. In order to determine the content of monosaccharides and oligosaccharides high- pressure anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) was used. The applied chromatographic method with pulsed amperometric detection enables reliable and selective detection of carbohydrates, especially oligosaccharides, in honey. Statistical comparison of the results showed that there were statistically significant differences among some parameters, while for others such differences did not exist. The results of our research and available data of other authors propose that the carbohydrate profile (the presence of individual carbohydrates in honey) and the content of carbohydrates in honey may have a potentially valuable role in the assessment of botanical origin of honey and as an indicator of putative adulteration of honey with sugar mixes or syrups, respectively. Nevertheless, analysis on numerous samples and different honey types are needed. Keywords: honey, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, HPAEC-PAD, adulteration In Slovenia as well as in other countries some types of honey are more appreciated among consumers and gain higher price. The latter also holds for honey with protected designation of origin (in Slovenia, e.g. Ko<evje forest honey, Karst honey). * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: +386 1 423 11 61; fax: +386 1 256 62 96; e-mail: mojca.korosec@bf.uni-lj.si