## 3 Results  
### Melisospalynology and Physicochemical Characterization  
Pollen analysis was carried out in order to confirm the botanical origin of the Zantaz honey samples. The inclusion of honey of other floral origins was avoided by selecting samples in which pollen from _B. spinosum_ represented at least 50% total pollen. Pollen from _Cytisus_ sp. (Fabaceae) and _Populus_ sp. (Salicaceae) were also found at low concentrations (Table 1). The physicochemical characteristics of Zantaz honey are also shown in Table 1. None of the analyzed samples showed any abnormal values as compared to international quality standards [24; 25]. Values for pH ranged from 3.78 to 4.38, which is important because acidic pH prevents the growth of microorganisms in honey [26]. Average water content was also below the maximum 20% allowed for honey [24; 25]. Contents in water higher than this favor the growth of microorganisms responsible for fermentations that decrease the quality of honey. Free acidity was below 50 mEq/kg, and ash content and conductivity did not exceed the established limits of 0.6% and 800 uS/cm, respectively. Diastase activity provides an estimate of honey freshness; low values indicating inadequate storage or processing conditions. Diastase activity of all samples were well above the required 8 shade units [25]. Honey color and melanoidins are also important in the characterization of honey. Both parameters are estimated by measuring net absorbance of honey solutions and are linked to honey bioactivity. Average values in Zantaz honey samples were 1.01 and 62.71 mm Pfund for melanoidins and color, respectively. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline  & & **Means \(\pm\) SD** & **Min** & **Max** \\ \hline \multirow{6}{*}{Pollen analysis (\%)} & _Bupleurum spinosum_ & 62 \(\pm\) 10 & 51 & 80 \\  & _Cytisus_ sp. & 12 \(\pm\) 16 & 0 & 38 \\  & _Populus_ sp. & 8 \(\pm\) 5 & 1 & 19 \\  & Others & 18 \(\pm\) 13 & 3 & 41 \\ \hline \multirow{6}{*}{General physicochemical properties} & pH & 4.05 \(\pm\) 0.21 & 3.78 & 4.38 \\  & Water content (\%) & 19.88 \(\pm\) 0.85 & 18.40 & 21.13 \\  & Free acidity (mEq/kg) & 18.41 \(\pm\) 5.72 & 8.40 & 26.40 \\  & Lactonic acidity (mEq/kg) & 11.30 \(\pm\) 1.36 & 8.00 & 13.00 \\  & Total acidity (mEq/kg) & 29.71 \(\pm\) 6.66 & 18.40 & 38.40 \\  & Ash content (\%) & 0.19 \(\pm\) 0.05 & 0.13 & 0.32 \\  & Electrical conductivity (EC) (μs/cm) & 454.80 \(\pm\) 85.50 & 351.66 & 652.33 \\  & Diastase activity (Shad number) & 20.21 \(\pm\) 4.86 & 12.38 & 29.52 \\  & Melanoidins (a. u.) & 1.01 \(\pm\) 0.28 & 0.40 & 1.45 \\  & Color (mm Pfund) & 62.71 \(\pm\) 18.98 & 25.98 & 96.42 \\ \hline \multirow{6}{*}{Sugars (g/100 g)} & Fructose & 38.50 \(\pm\) 2.37 & 34.71 & 41.83 \\  & Glucose & 23.25 \(\pm\) 1.96 & 19.61 & 26.89 \\  & Melibiose & 2.80 \(\pm\) 0.92 & 1.44 & 4.31 \\  & Turanose & 1.79 \(\pm\) 0.20 & 1.29 & 2.04 \\  & Maltose & 1.53 \(\pm\) 0.47 & 0.95 & 2.45 \\  & Arabinose & 1.60 \(\pm\) 0.72 & 0.33 & 2.44 \\  & Trabalose & 0.82 \(\pm\) 0.29 & 0.50 & 1.50 \\  & Xylose & 0.30 \(\pm\) 0.03 & 0.25 & 0.36 \\  & Sucrose & \textless\textless\textless\textless\textgreater\textgreater{}0.2 & \textless\textless\textless\textgreater{}0.2 \\ \hline \multirow{6}{*}{Minerals (mg/Kg)} & K & 638.19 \(\pm\) 206.29 & 429.15 & 1177.47 \\  & Ca & 154.78 \(\pm\) 20.90 & 124.15 & 189.95 \\  & Na & 57.70 \(\pm\) 15.46 & 38.39 & 90.90 \\  & Mg & 33.16 \(\pm\) 9.55 & 24.25 & 52.80 \\  & Fe & 14.22 \(\pm\) 3.36 & 7.61 & 18.23 \\  & Cu & 1.29 \(\pm\) 0.36 & 0.89 & 1.95 \\  & Mn & 0.85 \(\pm\) 0.18 & 0.51 & 1.12 \\  & Zn & 0.66 \(\pm\) 0.42 & 0.26 & 1.72 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Average physicochemical characteristics of the Zantaz honey samples. Results are the average \(\pm\) SD of ten samples. Sugars represent up to 80 g/100 g, and the most abundant sugars in the Zantaz honey samples are fructose and glucose at 38.5 and 23.25 g/100 g, respectively. These results are consistent with those previously reported by others [27,28].