Comprehensive volatile organic compound profiling and furanic compound analysis for geographic origin authentication and quality assessment of honey samples from Kazakhstan, Italy, China and other countries

Honey possesses a unique chemical profile influenced by its geographical origin. Herein, we report the semi-quantification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and quantify five furanic compounds in 75 honey samples from different geographical regions (China, Italy, Kazakhstan and other countries) via headspace solid-phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME–GC–MS). Distinct VOCs were identified including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, terpenes and other heterocyclic compounds. Alcohols dominated the overall profile (30.1% of total VOCs), followed by aldehydes (22.9%), terpenes (12.1%) and aliphatic hydrocarbons (11.5%). Regional differences occur for five furanic compounds., with the Kazakh samples showing the highest mean 5-hydroxymethylfurfural concentration (130.74 mg kg−1). Principal component analysis revealed significant variations in VOC profiles among the honey samples, with distinct clustering based on the geographical origin. These findings highlight the influence of geographical and botanical factors on the volatile composition of honey, providing valuable insights for its authentication and quality assessment.