Floral origin influences physicochemical, volatiles, and taste profiles of Apis mellifera honey in Northern Thailand

Honey is a complex natural product whose composition and quality are influenced by floral origin and geographical location. This study aimed to characterize the properties of Apis mellifera honeys from different botanical origins in Northern Thailand. Fourteen honey samples, including mimosa (SH), lychee (CH), multifloral (FH), and longan (LH), were analyzed for physicochemical properties. Phytochemical profiling was conducted using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS), while volatile and taste profiles were evaluated using electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue) systems. All samples met Codex Alimentarius quality standards, with moisture below 20%, acidity below 50 meq/kg, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) below 80 mg/kg. Longan honey exhibited relatively higher total phenolic content (TPC) (51.32 mg GAE/100 g), indicating a sample-specific observation. Phytochemical profiling tentatively identified 55 compounds, predominantly saccharides (34.85%) and organic acids (30.30%). A total of 146 VOCs were identified, mainly esters (22.22%), alcohols (15.69%), and aldehydes (14.38%). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed partial separation of honey samples according to botanical origin; however, no distinct clustering was observed, suggesting overlapping compositional characteristics. These findings indicate that variability in Northern Thai honeys is influenced by both floral origin and post-harvest factors, providing insights for quality assessment and authentication.