Carbohydrate profile in honey with diferent provenaces

Honey is mainly composed of carbohydrates, comprising about 95% of its dry weight along with a great number of other minor components1. Fructose and glucose are the main carbohydrates in honey, however many different oligosaccharides have been detected in the composition of honey1. Different carbohydrates as well as their concentration in honey depend on the nectar collected by the bees from the flowers and the regional climatic conditions. For this study 34 honey samples were used, 11 from Portugal, 12 from Morocco and 11 from Spain. The aim of this study is to compare the sugar profile of honey produced in three different regions. All samples from Portugal and Morocco were directly purchased from beekeepers. Samples from Spain were acquired in a beekeeper products market. The sugar content (trehalose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, melezitose, turanose and maltose) in honey samples were analysed using high performance anion-exchange chromatography pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) as described in Anjos et al 2.