## 1 Introduction  
Honey is recognized as a traditional medicine and has been applied in many cultures as a treatment for wounds, burns and microbial infections. The health beneficial properties of honey have been widely studied, and multiple papers have reported on the anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, radical scavenging and antioxidant properties resulting from its composition of phenolic acids, carotenoids, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, products of [PERSON]'s reactions, catalase and peroxidase [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Generally, the antioxidant activity of honey is associated either with its phenolic content or its color--darker honeys tend to present higher antioxidant potential [2]. The main characteristics of buckwheat honey are dark brown to black color, specific strong aroma and molasses-like flavor [1]. This type of honey has been widely investigated over the years and has been proven to demonstrate multiple health beneficial properties. [PERSON] et al. (2020) reported that buckwheat honey positively affects intestinal microbes, which results in the increase in probiotics [7]. [PERSON] et al. (2016) noted that antibiotic-resistant pathogens were susceptible to buckwheat honey originating from the USA [8]. [PERSON] et al. (2020) investigated 47 different honeys as a source for acetyl- and butyrylcholinesteraseerase inhibitors (AChE and BChE), which are a possible therapeutic strategy in maintaining [PERSON]'s disease [9]. The acetylcholinesterase cholinesterase activity (AChE) can decrease the acetylcholine neurotransmitter, leading to [PERSON]'s disease. The authors draw attention to the highest capacity of buckwheat honey for AChE inhibition and accentuate its possible use in medical treatments. Due to its favorable organoleptic and health beneficial properties, honey is widely applied in the food industry. However, its use is limited due to its syrupy-like consistency and viscosity. In order to solve this problem, honey powder was introduced to broaden the possibility of its dosing, transportation and storage, as the risk of crystallization and fermentation decreases the potential use as a dietary supplement and functional food ingredient [10; 11]. Spray drying is a method that enables a production of free-flowing powder in a single operation and is usually used in honey powder production [11; 12]. However, it should be underlined that, as a result of high content of low molecular weight sugars (fructose and glucose), honey spray drying can be a difficult operation because of the low glass transition temperature (\(T_{g}\)) of fructose and glucose: 5 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 31 \({}^{\circ}\)C, respectively [13]. Problems associated with spray drying of sugar-rich materials such as honey are manifested by inter-particle stickiness, particles' stickiness to the walls of the drying chamber, or by the material remaining in the form of a syrup. These issues lower product yield and quality. It is crucial to adjust drying parameters, device design or material composition with the addition of carriers to prevent the aforementioned problems. As observed in the literature, the most widely applied carrier in spray dried sugar-rich materials is maltodextrin. However, consumers are increasingly becoming more aware of products' composition, consequently looking for healthier alternatives, as maltodextrin is characterized by high glycemic index (GI) [14]. The protein-based carriers are attracting considerable interest due to their skin-forming properties and promising results in sugar-rich materials spray drying. [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2016) noted that whey protein concentrate (WPC) in honey spray drying led to the highest powder recovery (\(R_{p}\)), the lowest bulk density and good flowability in comparison to the traditional carriers of maltodextrin and Arabic gum [15]. Moreover, the authors reported that WPC fully protected vitamin C and enabled them to obtain more spherical powder particles. [PERSON] et al.