Metcalfa pruinosa honeydew honey

Melcalfa pruinosa (Say) honeydew honey

[caption id=“attachment_5768” align=“alignright” width=“300”][] Melcalfa pruinosa (Say) honeydew honey[/caption]

Named after the insect that produces the honeydew, Metcalfa pruinosa (Say), the common name is the citrus flatid planthopper. This is a relatively new type of honey in Europe as the insect was introduced in the late 1970s and has spread to Italy, France and Slovenia. In addition to citrus, it feeds on over 200 kinds of plants, both wild, ornamental and cultivated. The host plant has a strong affect on the characteristics of the honeydew and resulting honey.

Some feel that honeydew from Linden or Maple tree produce better quality honey. It is rich in di- and trisaccharides, in particular maltotriose and shows the highest acidity and diastase values.

Characteristics:
Color: Dark amber to almost black.
Odor: The intensity of odor is medium with warm, vegetal and fruity like cooked fruit.
Taste: Moderately intense, low or medium sweetness, slightly salty, fairly persistent.

Translations: Italian: Melata di Metcalfa; France: Miel de Metcalfa; German: Metcalfahonig; Greek: μετκάλφα