The qualities of seventeen honey samples harvested from the North-East
areas of Algeria were evaluated by determining the pollen spectrum,
pollen number quantity and physicochemical attributes. Pollen analysis
can therefore be useful to determine the geographical and botanical
origin of honeys. The following determinations were carried out: pH,
density, acidity (free, lactone and total), moisture, electrical
conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, apparent
sucrose, and proteins. The results obtained in the present study show
the variability of chemical composition of the honey samples. It proved
that nine natural honeys are of blossoming origin; suitable for
consumption and that one (T5 conferred Bougous) can be used with fine
dietetics, it is very rich in pollen which is regarded as protein
source. The remainder, eight honeys, were not in conformity with the
International Regulatory Standards, their sugar contents (Sucrose) and
hydroxymethylfurfural exceeded the International Regulatory Standards
Review by the International Honey Commission, this was probably due to
use of syrup for the over-feeding the bees during the spring. The
sample Bouhachana (G1) had high water content (more than 20%), low
density and electrical conductivity higher than 5 µS/cm, which
makes it likely to undergo fermentation and degradation. Honeys of
Guerguour (T1), Boutheldja (T2) and Bouhadjar (T3) had pH lower than
the European standards concerning the quality control of the foodstuffs
(exp. honey). These samples are fragile; so we cannot preserve them for
a long period. The palynological analysis (qualitative and
quantitative) of the harvested samples in the area, showed the absence
of a honey obtained from only one melliferous plant. All honeys are
polyfloral exits of the several plant species visited by the worker
bees during their blossoming periods. Three families are the most
represented in the groups of pollen of accompaniment (the secondary
pollen ranged between 16-45%) and the pollen considered as rare (minor
pollen 3-15%) in the counted total number of the pollen grains in 10
grams of honey. These forager honey families are: Myrtaceae presented
by the Eucalyptus, Papilionaceae presented by Hedysarum coronarium
which is a forager plant characterized by a very vast surface of
development, and Rosaceae represented by orchard and forest species.The
pollen grain number counted in honeys is very significant (between 80
000 and 24 832 000pollen grain), what makes it possible to classify the
samples analyzed among the categories rich in pollen