# A Predictive Model to Correlate Amino Acids and Aromatic Compounds in Calabrian Honeys
###### Abstract  
To better understand the biochemistry of the organoleptic properties of honey influencing its commercial value, a predictive model for correlating amino acid profiles to aromatic compounds was built. Because the amino acid composition of different varieties of honey plays a key role as a precursor of specific aroma bouquets, it is necessary to relate the amino acid typesetting to aromatic molecules. A selection of uniforal honeys produced in Calabria, South Italy, were used, and a new methodology based on the use of HLIC-UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS and HS-SPME-GC-MS combined with multivariate processing has been developed. This study, carried out for the first time on honey, shows its excellent potential as a modern analytical tool for a rapid multicomponent analysis of food-quality indicators. Data obtained showed strong positive linear correlations between aldehydes and isoleucine, valine, leucine, and phenylalanine. Furans are correlated with isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine; hydrocarbons with serine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid; and ketones with serine, alanine, glutamine, histidine, asparagine, and lysine. Alcohols were more associated with tyrosine than esters with arginine. Proline, tryptophan, and threonine showed poor correlations with all the classes of aroma compounds. honey; Calabria; UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS; HS-SPME-GC-MS; amino acids; volatile compounds 2023123284133390/1/202312328413390/1/202312328413390/1/202312328413390/1/202312328413390/1/202312328413390/1/20231232841390/1/20231232841390/1/20231232841390/1/20231232  
components like minerals, phenolic compounds, organic acids, proteins, free amino acids, vitamins, and volatile compounds. These volatile compounds are commonly referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or volatile metabolites (VMs) [7]. Despite their relatively small quantities, these compounds play a pivotal role in shaping honey's sensory qualities and contributing significantly to its flavor profile. A distinguishing feature of honey is its aroma, a trait strongly influenced by the nature and type of the specific honey [8]. Honey's fragrance stands as one of its most prized attributes and is a subject of substantial interest within beekeeping. This is because consumers typically place more emphasis on the sensory aspects of honey than just its nutritional content [9; 10]. The sensory attributes and acceptability of honey are intricately shaped by its chemical composition. Therefore, comprehend the precise relationships between its sensory qualities and specific molecules is an essential endeavor. Among the most crucial and distinct characteristics of honey, its flavor stands out prominently as a blend of taste and aroma. The taste of honey primarily arises from its sugar content and minor constituents, including minerals, vitamins, organic acids, flavonoids, and amino acids. On the other hand, the intricate aroma of honey is a result of a multitude of volatile compounds, often unique to each variety. The aromatic profile of honey is intrinsically tied to its volatile composition. The entirety of these volatile compounds contributes to the complex and unique aroma. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in honey are remarkably diverse, exceeding 600 in number and encompassing both volatile and semi-volatile varieties. These compounds can be classified into distinct groups such as esters, ethers, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, furan and pyran derivatives, and more. The origin of these volatile compounds is multifaceted, including transfers from plants or modifications of plant constituents by honeybees. Additionally, post-harvest treatments and the presence of microorganisms can influence these compounds [11]. It has been long recognized that both pleasant and unpleasant aroma compounds emerge from the breakdown of amino acids [12; 13]. Amino acids serve as the fundamental constituents for protein biosynthesis, acting as the foundational elements from which molecules with biological and antioxidant properties are formed.