Muş is a prominent honey-producing area located in the central part of the Eastern Anatolia region, bordered by eight different provinces. In this study, the characteristic properties of honey from the Muş region, selected as the pilot area, were examined. The characteristics of the honey were determined based on its botanical origin, physicochemical properties, phenolic compound profile, and antioxidant potential. The honeys are monofloral or heterofloral blossom honeys, rich in Astragalus spp. and clover (Trifolium spp.) flowers, with smaller contributions from Lotus spp., Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Plantago spp., Poaceae, Elymus spp., Sanguisorba spp., Berberidaceae, Centaurea spp., Cistaceae, Rumex spp., Papaveraceae, and Asteraceae flowers. According to the Hunter Lab color scale, the honeys were found to have light, greenish, and yellowish tones. The average electrical conductivity (EC) was 0.34± 0.05mS/cm, indicating a very low moisture content of 15.33±0.75%. The honeys, which exhibited low HMF and high diastase activity, had an average proline content of 543±138 mg/kg. The ratio of fructose to glucose was found to be 1.23 in the honeys with low sucrose and maltose content. The average of total phenolic content (TFC) was to be 20.29± 2.90 mg GAE/100g, with notable antioxidant activity. The honeys were rich in gallic acid, chrysin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin. These analyses demonstrate that the Muş region honeys possess rich floral characteristics especially, Astragalus spp. and Trifolium spp, typical of light-colored blossom honeys in the Eastern Anatolia region. This study provides valuable data for elucidating the geographic characteristics of Muş region honeys.

Propolis is a chemically complex bee product whose biological properties depend on its botanical and geographical origin. However, little is known about how gastrointestinal digestion affects its phenolic profile and bioactivity. In this study, twelve propolis samples from eight countries were evaluated for phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant capacity (FRAP, ABTS+•), and urease inhibition before and after simulated gastric digestion. RP-HPLC–PDA identified 26 phenolic compounds showing substantial compositional diversity. Turkish Bolu propolis retained the highest post-gastric FRAP value, while several samples (BBP, AFP) maintained or enhanced urease inhibition. PCA and HCA highlighted origin-dependent differentiation, identifying digestive stability as a key variable for functional potential.

This study investigated the characteristic properties of chestnut honey produced in the Marmara Region, specifically in the Gulf of Kocaeli (İzmit). Microscopic analysis of seven chestnut honey samples from the Gölcük district revealed that the chestnut pollen percentage varied between 86.48% to 93.84%. The microscopic chestnut pollen ratio, color characteristics (Hunter lab) and browning index (BI), electrical conductivity (EC), antioxidant activity, and phenolic composition of the honey samples were investigated. In the seven honey samples analysed, chestnut pollen was identified as the predominant pollen type, accounting for more than 85% of the total pollen content, while the remaining pollen types were present as minor components, mainly belonging to the Fabaceae, Rosaceae, and Cistaceae families. Honey samples with high electrical conductivity values (EC: 1.15 ± 0.16 mS/cm) exhibited color characteristics with Hunter L values ranging from 25 to 48, indicating variations from darker to lighter color tones. The mean total phenolic content (TPC) of the honey samples was determined as 42.03 ± 9.43 mg GAE/100 g, with values ranging between 28.91 and 55.96 mg GAE/100 g. The total antioxidant capacity measured by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay was determined to be 4.31 ± 2.59 µmol FeSO₄/g, and darker-colored honey samples were found to exhibit higher FRAP values. Chrysin and t-cinnamic acid were identified as common and major components in the honey samples, while caffeic acid, pinocembrin, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were detected in lower amounts.

Muş is a prominent honey-producing area located in the central part of the Eastern Anatolia region, bordered by eight different provinces. In this study, the characteristic properties of honey from the Muş region, selected as the pilot area, were examined. The characteristics of the honey were determined based on its botanical origin, physicochemical properties, phenolic compound profile, and antioxidant potential. The honeys are monofloral or heterofloral blossom honeys, rich in Astragalus spp. and clover (Trifolium spp.) flowers, with smaller contributions from Lotus spp., Liliaceae, Rosaceae, Plantago spp., Poaceae, Elymus spp., Sanguisorba spp., Berberidaceae, Centaurea spp., Cistaceae, Rumex spp., Papaveraceae, and Asteraceae flowers. According to the Hunter Lab color scale, the honeys were found to have light, greenish, and yellowish tones. The average electrical conductivity (EC) was 0.34± 0.05mS/cm, indicating a very low moisture content of 15.33±0.75%. The honeys, which exhibited low HMF and high diastase activity, had an average proline content of 543±138 mg/kg. The ratio of fructose to glucose was found to be 1.23 in the honeys with low sucrose and maltose content. The average of total phenolic content (TFC) was to be 20.29± 2.90 mg GAE/100g, with notable antioxidant activity. The honeys were rich in gallic acid, chrysin, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic acid, and quercetin. These analyses demonstrate that the Muş region honeys possess rich floral characteristics especially, Astragalus spp. and Trifolium spp, typical of light-colored blossom honeys in the Eastern Anatolia region. This study provides valuable data for elucidating the geographic characteristics of Muş region honeys.