Occurrence of nitriles in Taraxacum labelled honeys

Nitrile compounds, whose presence is not common in honey, have been found in the volatile fraction of a few honey types, their relative amounts being particularly high in honeys commercialized under the Taraxacum label. Among them, 2-methylpropanenitrile, 2-methylbutanenitrile, 3-methylbutanenitrile, 2-butenenitrile (cis- or trans-isomer), 3-butenenitrile and 3-methylpentanenitrile, have been identified for the first time in honeys. Melissopalynological analysis of Taraxacum labelled honeys showed a relatively high pollen contribution of other species flowering in spring, such as Diplotaxis sp. Nitrogen-containing compounds, such as nitriles, thiocyanates and isothiocyanates have been previously described as products of hydrolysis of glucosinolates present in Diplotaxis sp. and other Brassicaceae. The nectar contribution of species belonging to the Brassicaceae family is proposed as the origin of the high relative amount of nitriles in Taraxacum honeys.