Polyphenolic and Mineral Composition of Functional Foods Based on Rape Honey and Dried Fruits

TL;DR

Adding dried fruits like goji berries and black currant to rape honey boosts its antioxidant and nutritional value, making it a healthier functional food.

Contribution

The study identifies specific phenolic compounds and minerals enhanced by enriching rape honey with different dried fruits.

Findings

Goji berries significantly increased total phenolic content in rape honey compared to the control.

Black currant-enriched honey showed the highest antioxidant activity across multiple assays.

Potassium and magnesium were the most abundant minerals in all enriched honey samples.

Abstract

Honey’s medicinal properties are largely attributed to its antioxidant activity, mainly derived from flavonoids, phenolic acids, and their derivatives. Fruit berries, such as goji berries, sea buckthorn, and black currant, are particularly rich in vitamins, phenolic compounds, and minerals, providing high nutritional and pharmacological value. Enrichment of rapeseed honey with dried fruits significantly increased total phenolic content, with the highest value observed in honey containing goji berries (111.221 ± 20.551 mg GAE/100 g), followed by black currant (96.477 ± 31.053 mg GAE/100 g) and sea buckthorn (90.724 ± 19.72 mg GAE/100 g), compared to control honey (49.681 ± 14.44 mg GAE/100 g). Antioxidant activity, assessed by multiple assays, was markedly enhanced in functional foods based on rape honey and dried fruits, particularly those with black currant, followed by goji berries and sea buckthorn. Romanian rapeseed honey contained phenolic acids such as gallic, chlorogenic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids, and flavonoids including quercetin and naringin. Functional food based on rape honey and goji berries (GBH) showed the highest levels of chlorogenic and gallic acids, epicatechin, and rutin, while functional food based on rape honey and sea buckthorn (SBH) was rich in naringin and resveratrol. Functional food based on rape honey and black currant (BCH) exhibited elevated gallic acid and rutin. Potassium and magnesium were the predominant minerals in all samples. Overall, berry enrichment enhances the nutritional and antioxidant profile of honey, supporting immune function and general health.

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