Rapid and sensitive determination of polyphenols composition of unifloral honey samples with their antioxidant capacities

A micellar electrokinetic chromatography method was developed to quantify the levels of four main polyphenols in various floral sources honeys. The effect of several parameters—such as pH, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) of the buffer, separation voltage and injection time—were systematically investigated. The main polyphenols were successfully separated within 13 min of UV detection at 214 nm. In the tested concentration range, regression equations revealed good linear relationships between the peak areas and corresponding concentration (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.9984 to 0.9997). Moreover, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activities were also quantified. These compounds are not present in large amounts, but can reach up to 2758 μg in 100 g−1 of honey, which are the main flavonoid aglycones found in honey. The flavonoid glycosides are hydrolyzed by bee enzymes to render the aglycones. Therefore, the flavonoid aglycones should be served as a potential marker and capillary electrophoresis could be used as an effective way to look for in various floral sources.