Honey serves as a good source of natural antioxidants, which are effective in reducing the risk occurrence
of heart disease, cancer, cataracts, different inflammatory processes and immune-system decline. In the
fresh selected Czech honey samples originated mainly from the region North Moravia antioxidant
activity and total polyphenol content were determined. A total of 40 honey samples (multifloral, lime,
rape, raspberry, mixture and honeydew honeys) native to different stations gained in the period from
May by August year 2006 were analysed. Total phenolics (TP) content was determined by the modified
Folin-Ciocalteau method [TP was expressed as mg of gallic acid equivalent (GA eq.) per kg of honey]. For
evaluation of the antioxidant activity (AOA) three different methods were used, the ferric reducing
antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and the 2,20-azinobis
(3-ethylbenzothiazolin)-6-sulfphonate (ABTS) assay. AOA was expressed in mg ascorbic acid equivalent
(AA eq.) per kg of honey. The results indicated that TP and AOA in Czech honey varied greatly between
the honey kinds, location and time of the harvest. Average TP ranged from 89.9 mg GA eq. kg-1 in lime
honey to 215.2 mg GA eq. kg1 in honeydew honey. Antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH, ABTS
and FRAP methods was lowest in floral honeys. The highest values were obtained for honeydew and
mixture honeys. ABTS and FRAP assays have been shown to be the optimal methods for AOA determination
in honey. A positive linear correlation between AOA and TP was observed (in FRAP assay
R2 ¼ 0.852). It indicates that phenolics are one of the main components responsible for antioxidant
behaviour of honey. The obtained results support and extend complete knowledge about the content of
bioactive phenolics and antioxidant activity in the Czech honeys.