2.3.1. Quantitative

The methodology is based on the methods of melissopalynology [13]. Ten grams of honey were weighed and fully dissolved in 40 mL of warm distilled water (not above 40 ◦C). The solution was centrifuged for 10 min at 4500 rpm and the supernatant was discarded. Afterwards, 40 mL of distilled water was added prior to centrifugation for 5 min. The supernatant was again discarded until a volume of 5 mL and then the sediment was vortexed. For the microscopical analysis two drops (10 μL) of this sediment were deposited in separate, over a slide. The total number of pollen grains in each drop were counted and the results were expressed as number of pollen grains per g of honey considering the mean value of both drops. Honeys are grouped considering the number of pollen grains per gram of honey (PG/G) into one of the following classes: Class I with less than 2000 pollen grains; Class II with 2000 to 10,000 pollen grains; Class III with 10,000 to 50,000 pollen grains; Class IV with between 50,000 and 100,000 pollen grains; and Class V with more than 100,000 pollen grains.
