Canary Honeys from Tenerife: 1. Composition of Volatile Components

Tenerife’s melliferous flora is characterised by the presence of a large number of endemic species and a distinct zonation of their growth, which determines the local production of unique varieties of honey not found in other parts of the world. For the first time, the composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Tenerife honey was studied through the use of nine samples of monofloral (broom, tajinaste, tedera, relinchon, and barrilla) and four samples of multifloral honeys. The VOC composition of the studied samples contained 110 representatives of various classes of organic compounds identified by headspace microextraction in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS): terpenes, alkanes and alkenes, aliphatic and aromatic alcohols and acids, carbonyl compounds, as well as several S-, N- and Cl-containing substances. The chemical composition of the samples turned out to be highly specific; only twenty two compounds were detected in all nine samples. The distinct zonation of Tenerife’s honey flora is reflected in the VOC composition of the studied samples. For example, syringic acid hydrazide, a rare component of honey, is completely absent in honey from “high mountain” apiaries but is contained in noticeable quantities in honey from apiaries located at low altitudes. The presence of methyl 3,5-dimethoxybenzoate in Tenerife honeys, as well as some norterpenoids, indicates the likelihood of their high antioxidant and bactericidal activity.