Preface

When I was invited to edit a book about honey analysis, I thought it was a great opportunity since there are almost no books with worldwide coverage of this topic. Handouts and books can be found here and there, and there is a large number of articles. A point to be highlight‐ ed is that we have Apis mellifera honeybees with a worldwide distribution and stingless bees with a more restricted distribution to neotropical climate. Therefore, in the vast majori‐ ty of countries where these bees are available, there is only a regulation for Apis mellifera and not for stingless bees. Several articles on honey analysis of stingless bees try to use as comparison the established parameters for Apis mellifera. This kind of analogy is not ade‐ quate since the parameters for stingless bees are somewhat different from those set for hon‐ eybees. For the stingless bees, it is necessary to establish new rules, but this is a subject for another book.

The topic of honey analysis is very interesting because some characteristics are very differ‐ ent. In the Americas we have mostly Africanized honeybees that have a natural resistance to most of the diseases that affect honeybees. The Africanized honeybees do not need acari‐ cides to be treated from varroa and, therefore, the honey does not suffer any contamination from these acaricides. However, mainly in temperate regions, European honeybees are sus‐ ceptible to varroa and therefore can only produce honey with the use of acaricides to combat this mite. With this, the honey leaves with residues of the acaricides.

However, here we have been able to compile a book with chapters by authors from nine countries (Brazil, Chile, Italy, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Turkey) and at least three continents (South America, Europe, and Oceania). This book deals only with honey analysis for Apis mellifera honeybees and is divided into two parts: the first one is dedicated to physical-chemical, microbiological, and bioactive compound analyses, and another part covers the therapeutic use of honey, its use as a functional food, and its antimi‐ crobial activities. The topics discussed here are physical-chemical analysis of honey, new methods for amino acid analysis, chemical residues, heavy metals, phenolic content and bio‐ active components, microbiological analysis, antimicrobial activity, and honey as functional food. Also there are notions of trade and characterization of honey in these countries, pre‐ senting the reality of the local markets of these countries and their perspectives so that we can know more about the techniques used as well as the importance of this activity for each country. This may facilitate the use of innovative techniques that may enable increased com‐ petitiveness and the world honey trade.

The chapters aim to evaluate the honey quality and the distribution of flora and apiaries, and new methods that identify specific components that give honey kind of an unique sig‐ nature to determine its origin and geographical identification. Although it is a healthy food and very concentrated in sugars, the honey contains even microorganisms. These can either cause harm to the product and the consumer if obtained without good manufacturing and handling practices, or can act as prebiotics improving the entire digestive process and hence the health of bees and consumers. Technologies of creamy honey production and its advan‐ tages are also discussed.

In my opinion, we should standardize the techniques of honey analysis at the world level, a single standard, since the quality product fits into any trade, both local (within each coun‐ try) and export. Statistical tools and mathematics are beginning to be used to identify sam‐ ples and adulterations, including helping to reclassify some honey quality standards.

A very interesting chapter deals with biological properties, phenolic components with bene‐ ficial effects to health, and makes a comparison of Chilean honey with others better known for their therapeutic properties. This shows that we need to study and learn more about honey because the phenolic components can be used as potential chemical markers also called bioindicators. Logically associated with this, the methods available to detect heavy metals and their uses and applications in the characterization of honey as a bioindicator of environmental pollution are also discussed in another chapter.

In countries where the European honeybee predominates, it is necessary to use antibiotics and chemotherapeutics. Here analytical methods to detect residues of these drugs, including procedures to improve the cost-benefit of these techniques, are discussed.

Therefore, I hope you will enjoy reading this book's contents on the analysis of this food that can be used as a medicine. However, there is still much to be studied and researched about honey—a food so ancient and noble.

I would also like to thank the authors for their contribution in realization of this book project

**Prof. Dr. Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo**

Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, State of Paraná, Brazil **Bioactive Compounds, Physicochemical and Microbiological Analysis**

and very concentrated in sugars, the honey contains even microorganisms. These can either cause harm to the product and the consumer if obtained without good manufacturing and handling practices, or can act as prebiotics improving the entire digestive process and hence the health of bees and consumers. Technologies of creamy honey production and its advan‐

In my opinion, we should standardize the techniques of honey analysis at the world level, a single standard, since the quality product fits into any trade, both local (within each coun‐ try) and export. Statistical tools and mathematics are beginning to be used to identify sam‐

A very interesting chapter deals with biological properties, phenolic components with bene‐ ficial effects to health, and makes a comparison of Chilean honey with others better known for their therapeutic properties. This shows that we need to study and learn more about honey because the phenolic components can be used as potential chemical markers also called bioindicators. Logically associated with this, the methods available to detect heavy metals and their uses and applications in the characterization of honey as a bioindicator of

In countries where the European honeybee predominates, it is necessary to use antibiotics and chemotherapeutics. Here analytical methods to detect residues of these drugs, including

Therefore, I hope you will enjoy reading this book's contents on the analysis of this food that can be used as a medicine. However, there is still much to be studied and researched about

I would also like to thank the authors for their contribution in realization of this book project

**Prof. Dr. Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo**

Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá, State of Paraná, Brazil

ples and adulterations, including helping to reclassify some honey quality standards.

environmental pollution are also discussed in another chapter.

procedures to improve the cost-benefit of these techniques, are discussed.

tages are also discussed.

VIII Preface

honey—a food so ancient and noble.

#### **Production and Trade of Honey in Selected European Countries: Serbia, Romania and Italy Production and Trade of Honey in Selected European Countries: Serbia, Romania and Italy**

Cristina Bianca Pocol, Svetlana Ignjatijević and Cristina Bianca Pocol, Svetlana Ignjatijević and Daniele Cavicchioli

Daniele Cavicchioli

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/66590

#### **Abstract**

The beekeeping sector is very complex, because of not onlythe diversity of bee products obtained but also the environmental services through pollination. Even if its direct impact on domestic economy and trade varies across countries, at micro-level, beekeeping creates well-being for communities, providing health products for population and decent revenues for farmers. It also supports the sustainability of rural livelihoods. In this context, the research subject is the analysis of production and trade of honey in three European Union Countries—Romania, Italy and Serbia—with a goal to consider the dynamic of supply and trade of honey and deduce potential opportunities for producers. The goal of the study is to draw implication from the results obtained, suggesting the concrete measures to improve the existing situation. Trade data are examined to get a picture of honey sector trends. An entire set of trade indicators related to honey were computed over the period 2006–2015 and are presented in the chapter: value, amount, growth rate and geographic structure of export and import in the world and in selected countries for which the level of comparative advantages of exported honey was also measured using the Balassa index.

**Keywords:** honey, production, international trade, competitiveness
