Floral Origin Identification and Amino Acid Profiles of Chinese Unifloral Honeys

The aim of the current study was to investigate the properties of Chinese honeys. A total of 33 honeys were collected from various botanical and geographical sources in China. Nine unifloral honeys were identified as Acacia, Vetch, Linden, Coptidis, Red date, Astragalus, Codonopsis, Eriobotrya, and Eucalyptus according to their pollen granule characteristics. The chemical properties of free amino acids were further assessed; the total amino acid contents ranged from 240.7 mg/kg in light honey to 812.6 mg/kg in dark honey. Remarkable variations in proline and total amino acid contents were demonstrated in honeys from different botanical or geographical sources.