MELISSOPALYNOLOGY ANALYSIS, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, MULTI-ELEMENT CONTENT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF HONEY SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM BAYBURT, TURKEY

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the plant sources, physicochemical properties, element content and antimicrobial effects of honey samples collected from 10 different regions of the province of Bayburt, Turkey. The melissopalynological analyses showed that the pollen samples of 67 plant taxa belonging to 34 plant families in honey samples were found in different rates and TPS-10 value was found between 16024-90126. In addition to these, the amount of ash was between 0.13% -0.32%, the electrical conductivity value was between 0.36-0.69 mS/cm, the moisture content was between 16.1% and 18.9% and the fructose/glucose ratio was between 0.92-1.18. As a result of physicochemical analysis, it was determined that the data obtained were in compliance with the standard values defined in the Turkish Food Codex (No: 2012/58). Elemental analyzes performed with ICP-MS showed that the K element was the highest (261.34-1863.05 mg/kg) in all honey samples in total among 42 elements. In addition to these, the antimicrobial effects of honey samples and minimum inhibition concentration values (MIC) were determined by agar well diffusion (AWD) method and microbroth dilution method respectively.