The Importance and Antioxidant Potential of Chestnut Honey in Gastronomy

Abstract

Honey is one of the important elements of the human diet. Chestnut honey has a special place among other honeys due to its health benefits and is considered a functional food. In this study, the use and importance of chestnut honey, which is a valuable product, in terms of gastronomic aspects in Türkiye and in the world, has been researched by scanning social media and internet resources and critical points that should be considered from the right raw material supply to the product design and presentation with a holistic approach in order to increase the usage areas are mentioned. For this purpose, total antioxidant (TAS), total oxidant (TOS) and oxidative stress indices (OSI) were evaluated in chestnut honey samples obtained from different regions of our country. In the analysis, it was determined that the highest antioxidant potential was found in Bursa-Kurşunlu province, and the lowest antioxidant potential was found in the samples obtained from Kastamonu-Fakaz province. According to the results obtained, it has been observed that the antioxidant effective compounds in honey vary according to geographical regions and the antioxidant potential of chestnut honey is high in general. In addition, it has been determined that the gastronomic use of chestnut honey is limited compared to abroad. It is thought that factors such as product shape, consistency, plate color, presentation style that may affect the sense of taste can be utilized in product design.