The use of front face fluorescence spectroscopy to classify the botanical origin of honey samples produced in Switzerland

This study reports the use of front face fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool for the classification of honey samples from Switzerland according to their botanical origins. Honey (n = 62) fluorescence spectra from seven floral origins, namely, acacia, alpine rose, chestnut, rape, honeydew, alpine polyfloral and lowland polyfloral were scanned after excitation set at 250 nm (emission: 280–480 nm), 290 nm (emission: 305–500 nm) and 373 nm (emission: 380–600 nm) and emission set at 450 nm (excitation: 290–440 nm). The first 10 principal components (PCs) of the principal component analysis (PCA) extracted from each data set were gathered together into one matrix and analysed by factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). Correct classification of 100% and 90% was observed for the calibration and the validation samples, respectively. The seven honey types were well discriminated indicating that the molecular environment and, for consequent, the physico-chemical properties of the investigated honeys were different. The obtained results showed that front face fluorescence spectroscopy might be a suitable and alternative technique to classify honey samples according to their botanical origins.