Abstract: In this study, by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we compared the flavonoid composition and contents of raw honey from different honeybee species, different geographic origins and different floral sources and commercial processed honey. The results showed that Chinese honeybee (Apis cerana cerana) and Italy honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) rape honey were similar in terms of total peak number and peak shape, but the total flavonoids content of Italy honeybee rape honey was higher than that of its Chinese counterpart. Italy honeybee rape honeys from different producing areas had a high similarity in the HPLC profiles, and they were almost identical with respect to the number and amount of flavonoids identified. The number and amount of flavonoids detected in processed honey were reduced as compared to the raw one. The HPLC profile of processed honey indicated that the chromatographic peaks of flavonoids occurred earlier, which were intensively distributed in the water-soluble phase. Considerable differences in total peak number and peak shape were found among raw honey from different floral sources; a total of 65, 58 and 70 flavonoid peaks were identified from rape honey, acacia honey and citrus honey, respectively, and citrus honey had the highest flavonoid content (161.62 μg/100 g). The HPLC peak shape of flavonoids in monofloral honey showed some specificity, providing a characteristic fingerprint for the identification of honey species.

Key words: rape honey, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Apis mellifera ligustica, Apis cerana cerana, flavonoids, nectar source