Volatile compounds of orange and eucalyptus bee honeys from the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais were isolated by a dynamic headspace technique and separated by high resolution gas chromatography. Volatile compounds were identified by gc-mass spectrometry and the Kovats Indices. Benzaldehyde, cis-linalool oxide, n-heptanal, 6 methyl-5-hepten-2-ona, octanal and phenylacetaldeyde were detected in orange honey. Nonanal, 2-heptanone, 2-heptanol, octanol and nonanol were identified in eucalyptus samples. Quantitative Descriptive Analysis and Principal Component Analysis revealed that orange honey can be sensorially characterized by ''waxy'' and ''floral'' descriptors, while eucalyptus honey by a ''burnt'' and ''after-taste''. Phenylacetaldeyde and benzaldehyde were related to these important descriptors in characterizing orange honey, as determined by sniffing, while nonanal and nonanol were found to be important contributors to the eucalyptus honey aroma.
volatile compounds; flavor; sensory evaluation; honey
