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Pollen Characteristics of Egyptian Clover Honey

Sofia Karabournioti and Ioannis K Karabagias

The purpose of the present study was to investigate and chart pollen characteristics of Egyptian clover honey in order to evaluate its purity with respect to authentication. For this purpose, 8 clover honey samples were randomly collected from local products shops in the greater Cairo area and subjected to melissopalynological analysis, the official method for the determination of honey botanical origin, by providing exhaustive details on specific pollen grains that contribute to the overall pollen grains profile (PGP). Results showed that, the dominant pollen grains (>45%) in 7 of the 8 honey samples analyzed were Trifolium alexandrinum L. followed by lower pollen grain percentages of Brassica sp., Melilotus sp., Umbeliferae, and Compositae, along with others. Given that, research on PGP involving Egyptian clover honey is limited, the present study contributes to the characterization of clover honey that enters the domestic or international market