New monoterpenes and benzylbutanoic acid from snowbell (Styrax japonica) honey and their quantitative analysis by LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS

Abstract Honey varies depending on plant origin and environmental conditions. Chemical constituents can be used to determine the origins, characteristics, and storage period of a specific honey. Styrax japonica (snowbell) honey has excellent flavor, but very few studies have been carried out on its chemical constituents. Therefore, the present study was aimed to identify chemical constituents containing in snowbell honey and to screen candidate marker compounds for predicting the storage period of snowbell honey using the identified compounds. Twelve compounds including three new compounds were purified and isolated from the snowbell honey. Three new compounds were elucidated as 1α,3β,5β-bornetriol, 7-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[2.5]oct-5-en-4-one, and 2-benzyl-2,3-dihydroxybutanoic acid, based on ESI-MS and NMR experiments. 6,7-Dihydroxylinalool and 6,7-dihydroxygeraniol isolated as known compounds in this study were identified for the first time in snowbell honey as well as in other honeys. The isolated compounds were qualified and quantified by LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis. All compounds were detected in snowbell honeys of different production years. The levels of tyrosol, 7-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro[2.5]oct-5-en-4-one, and (–)-dihydroxyphaseic acid were lower in snowbell honey with long storage period than in short storage period, which is suggested to be used as candidate marker compounds for predicting the storage period of snowbell honey.