A comparative study on the antioxidant activities and mineral composition of chestnut and flowerhoneys from various regions of Turkey

SUMMARY A Comparative Study on the Antioxidant Activities and Mineral Composition of Chestnut and Flower Honeys from Various Regions of Turkey One of the important research fields of the recent years has been based on the antioxidants, which have a role in scavenging the free radicals that cause many diseases and ageing. The compounds having antioxidant effect are accepted to be produced on a wide range by plants, which have the capacity to produce infinite numbers of aliphatic and aromatic compounds. Honey, which is a nutrient obtained from the nectars collected from the plants, is interesting as an antioxidant source. In tins study, planned for this purpose, the antioxidant properties and mineral content of the chestnut and flower honeys collected from various regions of Turkey were determined. In the analysis of antioxidant activity, superoxide anion, peroxynitrite and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-l-picrilhydrazyl) scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), total antioxidant response against potent free radical reactions and the quantity of total phenolics were evaluated. The antioxidant properties of the methanol extracts obtained from the honeys were investigated comparatively with some standard antioxidants Trolox®, BHT, and ascorbic acid. The mineral contents of honeys were analyzed by AAS. When the results were interpreted, it was determined that nearly all honey samples had antioxidant activity, and none of the samples showed prooxidant activity. In addition, it was identified that the chestnut honeys showed better antioxidant activity and higher mineral content, compared to the flower honeys. Consequently, it is suggested that for healthy living honey, especially chestnut honey, should be consumed more as a natural product rich in antioxidants. Key Words: Antioxidant Activity, Peroxynitrite, DPPH, Superoxide Anion, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, Iron Chelating Capacity, Total Antioxidant Power, Mineral, Chestnut and Flower Honeys VI