Annular centrifugal extraction for the recovery of non-sugar compounds from honey

The high viscosity of honey, due to its carbohydrate content, complicates analysis and hinders the study of low-concentration, yet crucial, honey phenolics. Consequently, many compounds remain unknown or are only tentatively identified. To address these challenges, this study introduces Annular Centrifugal Extraction (ACE) - a continuous-flow liquid-liquid extraction method under centrifugation - as a novel approach for investigating honey phenolics. ACE enables high-yield recovery of extracts while removing carbohydrates. Despite its application in various fields, ACE remains underutilized in food analysis, making this the first report on its application to honey. The method´s efficiency was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). To assess extraction repeatability, ACE was applied to 50 honeys of different botanical origins, with the resulting data analyzed via multivariate analysis (MVA). Furthermore, the method was compared with established honey analysis methods, such as liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), adsorption resins, and solid-phase extraction (SPE), to assess its performance and suitability in both analytical and preparative scales. ACE proved to be superior, offering repeatability, scalability, and compatibility with different scale set-ups and therefore various applications. Its potential extends beyond honey, with possible applications in other matrices.