At the present time, the quality, integrity, sanitation, and nutritional value of honeys receive attention on an
international level due to the increasing content of chemicals in the aforementioned matrix. The present study aims
to characterize organic honey (n=73) from Northeast Portugal, with respect to floral nectar origin, physicochemical
parameters, microbial safety, and commercial quality. All organic honey samples can be classified as monofloral
lavender (Lavandula stoechas L.), exceed in quality the international physicochemical standards, and show low
microbiological counts (yeast, moulds, and aerobic mesophiles), with negative results in respect to faecal coliforms,
Salmonella, and sulphite-reducing clostridia. Correlating the palynological, physicochemical, and microbiological
results is necessary in order to check the authenticity, quality, and sanitation of honey.
