ABSTRACT
Honey is a very complex mixture and no honey is completely the same as another one. Its composition and also different biological effects vary to a great extent, but not completely, on its nectar and/or honeydew providing plant species (botanical origin). Caution must be taken in applying the ranges characteristic of unioral honeys from country to country. Due to the variation of botanical origin, honey differs in appearance, sensory perception, and composition (Bogdanov et al. 2008). There are three types of honeys with regard to their origin: nectar honey (made from plant nectar), honeydew honey (made mostly from the secretion of insects feeding on plant juices or plant secretion), and mixed honey (honeydew and nectar honey). The same oral origin honey composition may be quite different depending on several factors, such as geographic area (soil characteristics and climate), season, bee species, harvest technology and condition, and mode of storage. This variability could be a handicap, given the market requirement for a consistent product, but when properly managed, it also could represent an opportunity for enhancing honey by offering to the consumer a number of typical products with special characteristics, according to the particular botanical origin (Bogdanov 2009). The price of honey is usually dictated by its botanical and/or geographical origin. In the case of botanical origin,
Introduction .............................................................................................................. 59 Therapeutic Properties of Honey for Some Botanical Origins ................................60
