Elemental composition and physicochemical properties as a marker for botanical origin in honeys from the marche region (central Italy): A chemometric perspective based on principal component analysis

This study analyzed 100 honey samples from Central Italy to evaluate their physicochemical and elemental characteristics and assess their potential for botanical classification using multivariate analysis. Parameters including pH, color, electrical conductivity, moisture, sugars, and content of 13 elements were measured. Floral origin strongly influenced honey composition: darker honeys such as chestnut and false indigo exhibited higher pH, absorbance, conductivity, and mineral levels, while acacia honey was the least mineralized. Elemental analysis revealed wide variability in essential and toxic elements, though the majority of toxic metals remained within safety limits, with the exception of a single Pb concentration exceeding the recommended threshold. Electrical conductivity emerged as a supportive indicator of botanical type, particularly distinguishing chestnut honey and honeydew from the other honeys. Chemometric analyses based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted variation in physicochemical and elemental profiles corresponding to botanical origin of honeys. The results are based on a regionally focused dataset and should be interpreted within this geographical context.