Esra Demir Kanbur
In this study, honey samples collected from the Varda Plateau (İkizdere Valley, Rize) and Yusufeli regions of northeastern Türkiye were comprehensively characterized in terms of their melissopalynological, physicochemical, elemental, and volatile properties. Ten honey samples collected from different apiaries were analyzed. Melissopalynological results identified two samples as monofloral Castanea sativa (chestnut) honeys and three samples as Myosotis-dominant honeys, while the remaining samples were classified as multifloral. The pollen spectra reflected the rich floristic diversity of the region, shaped by both forest vegetation and high-altitude herbaceous flora. Moisture and proline analyses indicated that the investigated samples were consistent with the characteristics of natural and well-matured honeys. Volatile compound analysis by HS-SPME/GC-MS revealed substantial qualitative and quantitative differences among samples, with chestnut and Myosotis honeys generally exhibiting more distinctive aroma profiles than multifloral honeys. Benzaldehyde, furfural, nonane, and linalool derivatives were among the most frequently detected volatile compounds, although their relative abundances varied considerably among samples. Elemental analysis identified potassium as the predominant mineral in all honey samples, while significant variability was observed for Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Cu concentrations. Particularly, the Yusufeli samples were characterized by markedly higher Fe and Cu contents than the Varda samples, indicating a strong geographical influence on elemental composition. Multivariate analyses, including PCA, HCA, and UpSet analysis, confirmed considerable compositional heterogeneity and demonstrated that both botanical and geographical origins contribute to honey differentiation. Overall, the findings provide new insights into the chemical and botanical characteristics of chestnut, Myosotis, and multifloral honeys from the Eastern Black Sea region and highlight the value of integrated analytical and chemometric approaches for honey characterization, classification, and origin assessment.