Abstract

Currently, the search for chemical markers related to the botanical origin of honey is an important issue because of its potential use as a complementary tool for melisopalinological analysis. The objective of this research was to compare the (1) volatile compounds of Quillaja saponaria Mol. (Fam. Quillajaceae) floral nectar with those of unifloral honey of this same species, and (2) volatile compounds in Q. saponaria honeys from the same geographical origin. For the identification and semiquantification of volatile compounds, Gas Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed. The nectar of Q. saponaria presented volatile compounds different from the compounds identified in its unifloral honey, which may be precursors of the compounds present in Q. saponaria honey. Ten volatile compounds were found in all the samples of Q. saponaria honey: 2-methyl butyric acid (2-21.6 mu g/L), benzyl alcohol (1 - 6 mu g/L), 2-phenylethanol (16 - 125.3 mu g/L), ketoisophorone (2.6 - 15.9 mu g/L), linalool (2.4 - 13.8 mu g/L) and its oxides 1 and 2 (6 - 13.3 mu g/L and 3 - 7 mu g/L, respectively), beta-damascenone (4 - 12 mu g/L), pantolactone (2 - 7.5 mu/L) and furfural (7 - 44,2 mu g/L). These compounds were common in unifloral honey with different floral sources from other countries. These results would indicate that Q. saponariahoney does not present specific volatile compounds that allow its clear differentiation from other unifloral honey.