Release of elements and phenolic and flavonoid compounds from herbs and spices into acacia honey during infusion

Acacia honey was infused with basil, oregano, marjoram, dill, garlic or cinnamon at infusion rates of 0–5% by mass for a 6 months period. After removal of the infusates, macro and micro element concentrations were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined spectroscopically. The greatest release of elements, phenols and flavonoids, (% release/1% infusion rate) were for phenols (1.22–3.74, respectively), flavonoids (0.12–2.18), K (0.39–0.78), P (0.14–0.87), and S (0.07–0.85). The least release was for Ba (0.04–0.17), Fe (0.03–0.41) and B (− 0.006 to 2.33). Dill showed the most important effect on the Na concentration of honey enriched (at 5.00%) with > 90 times higher content (328 ± 4 mg/kg) compared to control honey (3.46 ± 0.07 mg/kg). Sr content was more than 50 times higher in honey enriched with marjoram (1383 ± 10 µg/kg), and honey enriched with dill showed more than 30 times higher Fe content (4112 ± 14 µg/kg). Enrichment with dill had the greatest effect on Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Na and Fe content of control honey, and garlic had the most important effect on the B, P, S, Zn, TP and TF content. Enrichment with these herbs and spices resulted in increases in element, total phenolic and flavonoid content of acacia honey.