Polish honey as a source of antioxidants – a comparison with Manuka honey
Katarzyna Pentoś, Deta Łuczycka, Jan Oszmiański, Sabina Lachowicz, Gerard Pasternak
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of four Polish kinds of honey compared to Manuka honey. Moisture content, water activity as well as color features of honey samples were examined. Phenolic content, ferric reducing/antioxidant power assay (FRAP), and ABTS assay were also quantified. Manuka honey had the highest content of polyphenols and the best antioxidant capacity (based on Tukey’s test), whereas multiflower honey had the lowest biological potential. The results indicated that buckwheat Polish honey is a good source of antioxidants compared to Manuka honey and should be more widely consumed. The total polyphenolic content was found to be highly correlated with the FRAP and ABTS values. The results of correlation analysis between dielectric honey parameters and phenolic content as well as antioxidant capacity suggest the possibility of using dielectric loss coefficient and relative permittivity as indicators of honey biological potential.