Plant manipulation to produce honey with tailored and/or elevated levels of phenolic compounds

摘要

Disclosed is a method of producing honey with levels of tannin derived phenolic compounds elevated above an average concentration for a given honey type by the steps of: (a) increasing the concentration of tannin derived phenolic compounds (particularly the methoxylated phenolic compounds such as: methoxylated benzoic acids, syringic acid, methyl syringate, isomeric forms of methyl syringate, and combinations thereof and also gallic acid and methoxylated derivatives, cinnamic acid, phenylacetic acid, methoxyacetophenone, ellagic acid, and combinations thereof) in the nectar of a plant or plants by subjecting the plant or plants to stress; and, (b) via bees, producing honey from the nectar of the stressed plant or plants; wherein plant stress in step (a) is induced by artificially subjecting the plant or plants to conditions selected from the group consisting of: drought, pests, selective watering, pruning, lack of nutrient(s), UV exposure, heat, externally derived abscisic acid, externally derived salicylic acid, and combinations thereof. The step (a) of the method also increases the methylglyoxal (MGO) level of the honey derived from the plant or plants.