# Screening of Some Romanian Raw Honeys and Their Probiotic Potential Evaluation
## 3 Results
### Physico-Chemical Parameters of Raw Honey Samples  
Nutritional parameters for raw honey samples were made using the methods described previously. Table 2 presents the identified free sugars, moisture, proteins, and lipids in the analyzed samples. Seven sugars (Figure 3) were identified in the raw honey samples, fructose and glucose being the predominant ones. Sucrose, turnanose, maltose, trehalose, and erlose were detected in low amounts. The higher concentrations in fructose were identified in samples P8 and P9, while glucose was identified in higher amounts in sample P9. Besides the reducing sugar analysis, the amount of sucrose is a very important parameter in evaluating the honeys' maturity [7]. In addition, sucrose is an important fructologosaccharide for the growing of the probiotic bacteria. Sucrose was quantified in higher amounts in sample P5 (7.44 \(\pm\) 0.37%) (Figure 4), followed by sample P1 (3.06 \(\pm\) 0.15%). The sugar and moisture results obtained in the present study are in accordance with those specified in national and European directive [41; 42]. Only sucrose for P5 (7.44 \(\pm\) 0.37%) exceeds more than 5 g/100 (probably the amounts in fresh honey was higher than in ripe honey). The protein content in analyzed honeys was in the range of 0.1-0.5% [16], and lipid content ranged between 0.07 and 0.42%. Figure 2: Hierarchical clustering of the honey samples based on melissopalynological analysis (Euclidean distance, \(r=0.95\)). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Honey** & **Fructose** & **Glucose** & **Sucrose** & **Turanose** & **Maltose** & **Trehalose** & **Erlose** & **Moisture** & **Proteins** & **Lipides** \\
**Samples** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** & **(\%)** \\ \hline P1 & 38.8 & 32.8 & 3.06 & 0.83 & 2.4 (0.11) & 0.17 & 0.78 & 16.0 & 0.12 & 0.07 \\  & (2.02) a  & (1.57) cb  & (0.15) b  & (0.04) g  & d  & (0.01) e  & (0.04) c  & (0.07) cb  & (0.00) d  & (0.00) d  & (0.00) g  \\  & 38.1 & 32.2 & 0.39 & 2.27 & 2.8 (0.14) & 1.06 & 0.95 & 16.4 & 0.29 & 0.30 \\  & (1.95) a  & (1.53) cb  & (0.01) e  & (0.11) a  & d  & (0.05) a  & (0.04) c  & (0.00) c  & (0.01) b  \\ P3 & 37.7 & 32.8 & 1.93 & 1.64 & 3.94 & 0.39 & 2.06 & 14.4 & 0.17 & 0.21 \\  & (1.91) a  & (1.56) cb  & (0.09) c  & (0.08) c  & (0.19) a  & (0.02) d  & (0.10) b  & (0.71) c  & (0.00) c  & (0.01) d  \\  & 36.5 & 33.5 & 1.33 & 1.79 & 3.37 & 0.54 & 2.20 & 16.1 & 0.06 & 0.19 \\  & (1.85) a  & (1.61) cb  & (0.06) d  & (0.08) c  & (0.16) b  & (0.02) c  & (0.10) b  & (0.76) cb  & (0.00) e  & (0.01) e  \\ P5 & 36.2 & 29.4 & 7.44 & 1.49 & 3.25 & 0.39 & 3.13 & 14.8 & 0.10 & 0.16 \\  & (1.82) a  & (1.41) c  & (0.37) a  & (0.07) dc  & (0.02) d  & (0.16) a  & (0.02) d  & (0.16) a  & (0.02) d  & (0.16) a  & (0.01) a  & (0.01) d  \\  & 38.5 & 32.1 & 1.01 & 1.97 & 3.19 & 0.80 & 2.28 & 17.0 & 0.02 & 0.15 \\  & (1.90) a  & (1.63) cb  & (0.04) d  & (0.09) b  & (0.15) cb  & (0.04) b  & (0.11) b  & (0.082) ba  & (0.00) f  & (0.00) f  \\ P7 & 37.6 & 34.1 & 1.07 & 1.31 & 3.32 & 0.47 & 0.75 & 16.7 & 0.21 & 0.29 \\  & (1.85) a  & (1.74) cb  & (0.05) d  & (0.06) c  & (0.16) b  & (0.02) d  & (0.04) c  & (0.04) c  & (0.79) ba  & (0.01) c  & (0.01) b  \\ P8 & (1.95) a  & (1.68) b  & (0.02) e  & (0.05) fe  & (0.13) d  & (0.01) e  & (0.01) e  & (0.02) d  & (0.02) d  & (0.82) cb  & (0.01)A total of 13 micro and macro elements were identified and quantified in the analyzed samples (Table 3). Mineral content in honey is generally low, ranging between 0.02 and 0.3% in blossom honeys, while, in honeybee, honeys can reach 1% of the total [43, 44]. Potassium is the main one, standing for 80% of the total, because of its quick secretion in nectar sources [45]. The amount of minerals present in honey does not significantly contribute to the dietary recommendations [16].