{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,22]],"date-time":"2026-08-22T05:23:13Z","timestamp":1787376193552,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787184000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003336","name":"Bulgarian National Science Fund","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["KP-06-COST\/10"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KP-06-COST\/10"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003336","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["KP-06-COST\/10"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["KP-06-COST\/10"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05eg49r29","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Although European oak honeydew honeys have a similar botanical origin, it is unclear if their chemical composition reflects their geographical origin. Sixty samples from Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Spain were analyzed using semiquantitative 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The protected designation of origin (PDO) Strandzha honey was compared to honey from other regions in Bulgaria. The profiles included 25 identified constituents, 21 saccharides, and 16 reproducible unidentified signals. Statistical analysis differentiated country groups through combinations of variables rather than a single marker. A decision tree based on nigerose, fructose, melezitose, panose, sucrose, and one unidentified signal summarized the main differences among the countries. Strandzha honeys exhibited a unique regional profile characterized by higher glucose levels and lower concentrations of several minor saccharides and unidentified signals. Two coordinated saccharide networks revealed that minor sugars fluctuate in linked groups rather than independently. This pattern has not been previously described in European honey. Conventional honeydew-associated indicators varied across the dataset. However, 1-kestose was present in all samples. Nevertheless, its specificity to oak honeydew origin remains unresolved. While extended 13C NMR profiling may support geographical characterization, independent validation is required before it can be used for authentication.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules31162913","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]],"date-time":"2026-08-20T12:57:53Z","timestamp":1787230673000},"page":"2913","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["NMR Profiling of European Oak Honeydew Honeys: Saccharide Diversity and Geographical Differentiation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"31","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1194-0925","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dessislava","family":"Gerginova","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Bulgarian NMR Centre, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 9, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria"},{"name":"Centre of Competence \u201cSustainable Utilization of Bio-Resources and Waste of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for Innovative Bioactive Products\u201d (BIORESOURCES BG), 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8289-6717","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda del Carmen Seijo","family":"Coello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikola","family":"Jovanovi\u0107","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Ni\u0161, Vi\u0161egradska 33, 18000 Ni\u0161, Serbia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0314-1576","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Ciulu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9565-3850","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Svetlana","family":"Simova","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Bulgarian NMR Centre, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 9, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria"},{"name":"Centre of Competence \u201cSustainable Utilization of Bio-Resources and Waste of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for Innovative Bioactive Products\u201d (BIORESOURCES BG), 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Council of the European Union (2002). Council Directive 2001\/110\/EC of 20 December 2001 relating to honey. Off. J. Eur. Communities, L 10, 47\u201352."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shaaban, B., Seeburger, V., Schroeder, A., and Lohaus, G. (2020). Sugar, amino acid and inorganic ion profiling of the honeydew from different hemipteran species feeding on Abies alba and Picea abies. 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