PHENOLIC COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF ANZER HONEY FROM BLACK SEA REGION OF TURKEY

Anzer honey is produced Turkey's famous Anzer Plateau with rich vegetation in the Eastern Black Sea region.This is the first extensive investigation of the bioactive characteristics of Anzer honey. For this purpose, melissopalinological analysis, total phenolic and flavonoid substances, polyphenolic profile and total antioxidant capacity of honey, ferric reducing antioxidant power test (FRAP) and free radical scavenging capacity of samples were measured by picryhydrazil (DPPH) method. According to the results of the study, the total phenolic content of Anzer honey was 26.92 gallic acid/100g and the total flavonoid substance was 2.79. In the analysis of phenolic compounds of the Anzer honeys, daidzein and syringic acid were not detected. The major phenolic compounds in the honey were, in descending order, pinocembrin, hesperidin, chrysin, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid, catechin, caffeic acid phenyl acid (CAPE), p-OH benzoic acid, caffeic acid, and  minor levels of myricetin, luteolin, rutin, resveratrol, epicatechin, t-cinnamic acid,  ferulic acid and gallic acid, were also determined.  The mean FRAP and DPPH values of the anzer honeys were found to be 110.11 μmolTrolox/100g, and 49.12mg/ml  respectively. As a result, although Anzer honeys are not rich in phenolic contents, they are attractive in terms of phenolic compounds.