Analysis of phenolic acids and flavonoids in honey

Honey is rich in phenolic acids and flavonoids, which exhibit a wide range of biological effects and act as natural antioxidants. The analysis of polyphenols has been regarded as a very promising way of studying floral and geographical origins of honeys. This review surveys recent literature on determination of these active compounds in honey. The analytical procedure to determine individual phenolic compounds involves their extraction from the sample matrix, analytical separation and quantification. We pay particular attention to sample pre-treatment and separation techniques (e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography and electrophoresis). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.