204
11.5.9 Isorhamnetin
Isorhamnetin is another flavonol which is present in an individual’s daily diet. It has
antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti inflammatory effects (Settu
and Manju 2017). Isorhamnetin was found to be one of the main phenolic compounds found in bee bread, “a fermented mixture of plant pollen, honey, and bee
saliva used as food for larvae and for young bees to produce royal jelly” (Sobral
et al. 2017). Isorhamnetin was also detected in most honeys including melon, pumpkin, cherry blossom, rhododendron, rosemary lemon, orange, dandelion, maple, and
pine tree honey (Petrus et al. 2011). Isorhamnetin was identified as a complementary biomarker for the identification of the floral origin of Argentinean Diplotaxis
honeys (Truchado et al. 2010).
11.5.10 Bee Defensin-1
Bee defensin-1 is the only cationic bactericidal compound curretly identified that
is naturally present in honey. It was previously isolated from the royal jelly which
is the “main source of food for bee queen larvae and was identified in honeybee
hemolymph”. Bee defensin-1 is released by the worker bees’ hypopharyngeal
gland into the gathered nectar with carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes.
Presumably, it aids in the protection of the royal jelly, and of honey against microbial spoilage since antimicrobial properties of honey are dependent on the hydrogen peroxide, methylglyoxal and defensin-1 content (Kwakman et al. 2010;
Ilyasov et al. 2012).
Bee defensin-1 amount ranges from 0.04 to 5.17 μg/g of honey. Lesser amounts
of bee defensin-1 questions the purity of honey. Defensin-1 is found in all tested
types of larval jelly and honey, including Manuka honey, although its amount differes significantly (Valachova et al. 2016).
11.6 International Standards for Honey
The Codex Alimentarius Standard for Honey and European Honey Directive have
been widely used worldwide as guidelines describing the standard honey quality
criteria. The latest revision of the Codex Alimentarius Honey was in 1998(Codex
Alimentarius Commission 1999), while the latest revision for the EU Directive
for honey was in 2001 (EC 2001). Codex Alimentarius Standard is generally
usable for honey trade globally. However, other regional standards like the
M. C. B. Otero and L. Bernolo
11.5.9 Isorhamnetin
Isorhamnetin is another flavonol which is present in an individual’s daily diet. It has
antioxidant, antiviral, anticancer, antimicrobial, and anti inflammatory effects (Settu
and Manju 2017). Isorhamnetin was found to be one of the main phenolic compounds found in bee bread, “a fermented mixture of plant pollen, honey, and bee
saliva used as food for larvae and for young bees to produce royal jelly” (Sobral
et al. 2017). Isorhamnetin was also detected in most honeys including melon, pumpkin, cherry blossom, rhododendron, rosemary lemon, orange, dandelion, maple, and
pine tree honey (Petrus et al. 2011). Isorhamnetin was identified as a complementary biomarker for the identification of the floral origin of Argentinean Diplotaxis
honeys (Truchado et al. 2010).
11.5.10 Bee Defensin-1
Bee defensin-1 is the only cationic bactericidal compound curretly identified that
is naturally present in honey. It was previously isolated from the royal jelly which
is the “main source of food for bee queen larvae and was identified in honeybee
hemolymph”. Bee defensin-1 is released by the worker bees’ hypopharyngeal
gland into the gathered nectar with carbohydrate-metabolizing enzymes.
Presumably, it aids in the protection of the royal jelly, and of honey against microbial spoilage since antimicrobial properties of honey are dependent on the hydrogen peroxide, methylglyoxal and defensin-1 content (Kwakman et al. 2010;
Ilyasov et al. 2012).
Bee defensin-1 amount ranges from 0.04 to 5.17 μg/g of honey. Lesser amounts
of bee defensin-1 questions the purity of honey. Defensin-1 is found in all tested
types of larval jelly and honey, including Manuka honey, although its amount differes significantly (Valachova et al. 2016).
11.6 International Standards for Honey
The Codex Alimentarius Standard for Honey and European Honey Directive have
been widely used worldwide as guidelines describing the standard honey quality
criteria. The latest revision of the Codex Alimentarius Honey was in 1998(Codex
Alimentarius Commission 1999), while the latest revision for the EU Directive
for honey was in 2001 (EC 2001). Codex Alimentarius Standard is generally
usable for honey trade globally. However, other regional standards like the
M. C. B. Otero and L. Bernolo