Characterization of Traditional Korean Unifloral Honey Based on the Mono-, Di-, and Trisaccharides

Sugar profiles of 45 Korean honey samples (15 acacia, 15 multi-floral, 10 chestnut, and 5 artificial honey samples), which are commercially available in the Korean markets, were analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) through TMS-oxime and TMS-methoxime derivatization. The average invert sugar contents in acacia, multi-floral, chestnut, and artificial honey samples were 71.2±1.05, 68.7±3.26, 63.2±1.85, and 68.0±2.10%, respectively. Fourteen disaccharides were detected from the samples, and the average content of major disaccharides was higher in order of turanose, maltulose, maltose, trehalulose, kojibiose, isomaltose, and nigerose. The average content of total disaccharides was highest in chestnut and lowest in acacia. Seven trisaccharides were detected from the samples, and the average content of trisaccharides was the highest in artificial honeys, which had high erlose content. The total content of disaccharides and trisaccharides was highest (16.0±2.03%) in chestnut honey and lowest (9.70±1.75%) in acacia honey.