Taurus Highland Honey: Highland Beekeeping in the Taurus Mountains, Flora and Quality Criteria
The Taurus Mountains are one of the rare mountain ranges that can be reached from the Mediterranean coast to plateaus above 2,000 meters in a few hours' journey. Beekeepers have been using this difference for centuries: the hives spend the winter and spring on the warm coastal plains, and when summer comes, they follow the flowering and move to the plateaus. The name "Taurus highland honey" is used to describe the honey produced from the nectar of thyme, geven and similar plants at these elevations.
In this article, we discuss how highland beekeeping is done in the Taurus Mountains, the honey flora of the region, the legal status of the name "Taurus highland honey", the quality criteria in the Turkish Food Codex Honey Communiqué and what you need to know about the crystallization and storage of honey.
Taurus Mountains: A Short Distance from the Coast to the Plateau
The Taurus Mountains are a large mountain range system that runs parallel to the Mediterranean coast in southern Anatolia. According to Britannica, the Taurus Mountains extend from Lake Eğirdir in the west to the upper tributaries of the Euphrates in the east; many peaks are between 3,000 and 3,700 meters. There are pine, cedar, oak and juniper forests up to 2,500 meters on the slopes, while the coastal plains are narrow except for Çukurova.
This structure provides an important advantage in terms of beekeeping. While flowering begins at the end of winter at sea level, the season is delayed as you go higher. Thus, it is possible to benefit from the flowers that bloom consecutively at different altitudes for several months in the same region. The Taurus Mountains are generally divided into sections as the Western, Central and Southeastern Taurus Mountains. The mountainous parts of Antalya, Mersin and Adana and a part of Konya, Karaman and Niğde on the inner slopes remain in this system.
Wandering Beekeeping: Hives Following the Flower
The basis of highland honey production in the Taurus Mountains is wandering (nomadic) beekeeping. Beekeepers move their hives from one place to another according to the flowering calendar.
In a survey conducted with 200 beekeeping enterprises in Adana and Konya, it was determined that 96 percent of the enterprises in Adana and 89 percent of those in Konya were engaged in nomadic beekeeping. In the same study, it was stated that Adana is a wintering region for beekeepers, Çukurova offers suitable conditions for beekeeping in the November-May period, and citrus areas are preferred for wintering (Karahan and Karaca, 2016).
In summer, the hives are moved to heights. According to a news report dated June 2026, the bees moved to the Eğriçayır Plateau between Erdemli and Silifke in Mersin, at an altitude of approximately 2,400 meters, and started working. In the news, the beekeeper explains that spring occurs at sea level in February and on the plateau in mid-June, and that the bees will move to another region at the end of August (İHA, 2026). In Antalya, wandering beekeeping is also carried out between the coastal districts and the plateaus, and the problem areas of this activity are examined through scientific studies (Küçüktekin and Mencet Yelboğa).
In short, "highland honey" is honey produced not in a single place, but during the period when the hives are in the highlands during the summer months and from the flora there.
Honey Flora of the Taurus Plateaus
The most important factor that determines the color, smell, taste and crystallization behavior of a honey is the plants from which bees collect nectar. The honey plants booklet prepared by the Beekeeping Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on a provincial and district basis lists the prominent plants in the provinces on which the Taurus Mountains are located as follows (Cınbırtoğlu):
| Province | Flowering period | Some of the featured honey plants |
|---|---|---|
| Mersin | February–September | Sandalwood, carob, citrus, thyme, sainfoin, geven, honeybaba, eucalyptus |
| Adana | March–September | Citrus, sunflower, cotton, pine, acacia, geven, cedar, thyme, puren |
| Antalya | February–November | Geven, thyme, sage, carob, pine, chestnut, laurel |
The most remarkable plants in terms of highland honeys are astragalus and thyme species. However, most highland honeys are not produced from a single plant, but from many plants that bloom in the same period. Therefore, pollen analysis studies are important:
- In a study in which 25 honey samples collected from the Mediterranean Region were examined, a total of 91 pollen types were determined, and an average of 22 pollen types were found per sample. 11 of the samples were classified as honeys dominated by a single plant; secondary pollens included geven, citrus, olive and clover (Silici and Gökçeoğlu, 2007).
- All of the 19 honey samples taken from Konya Ereğli, Karaman Ayrancı and Niğde Ulukışla, which are close to the inner slopes of the Taurus Mountains, were determined as multifloral honey, and 55 plant taxa were identified in the samples (Özler, 2018).
- In the geographical indication certificate of the registered Niğde Geven Honey, it is stated that the rate of geven pollen in these honeys is between 70-90 percent (TÜRKPATENT, Niğde Geven Honey).
These results show that most of the honey from the Taurus plateaus is flower honey fed by a rich flora, and in some places, a single plant such as geven can become dominant.
Is "Taurus Highland Honey" a Geographical Indication?
As of October 2026, there is no registered or applied for honey record with "Toros" in its name in the geographical indication database of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Therefore, "Taurus highland honey" is not a legally defined product name, but a description describing the region where the honey is produced.
The Turkish Food Codex Honey Communiqué allows honey to be named with a regional, geographical or topographic name under a certain condition: Honey must clearly have the characteristics of the flora of the region where it is produced and this naming must not be contrary to geographical indication rights (Honey Communiqué, art. 13). In other words, presenting a honey as "Taurus highland honey" requires that it be produced from the highland flora of that region.
In and around the Taurus Mountains, some honey products are protected by geographical indications or are in the application process:
| Name | Status |
|---|---|
| Niğde Geven Honey | Registered designation of origin (2025) |
| Turkish Pine Honey | Registered privacy sign (2025); It is located in Antalya within its geographical border |
| Kozan Mezla Honey (Adana) | In the application phase (2025) |
| Gundogmus Honey (Antalya) | In the application phase (2025) |
| Lighter Honey and Euphorbia Honey (Antalya) | In the application phase (2026) |
In the documents of registered products, stricter quality criteria can be defined than the general legislation. For example, for Niğde Geven Honey, it is stipulated that the humidity should be at most 18 percent, HMF at most 20 mg/kg and proline at least 670 mg/kg.
Beekeeping in the Taurus Mountains in Numbers
According to statistics from the Beekeeping Research Institute based on TURKSTAT data, Türkiye produced 97,253 tons of honey with 8.8 million beehives in 2025. According to FAO's 2024 data, Türkiye ranks third in the world in honey production, behind China and India.
The coastal provinces of the Taurus Mountains have an important place in the country's beekeeping:
| Province (2025) | Honey production (tons) | Number of hives | Number of businesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adana | 11.592 | 467.055 | 2.203 |
| Mersin | 1.890 | 288.676 | 2.510 |
| Antalya | 1.798 | 227.267 | 3.391 |
Source: Beekeeping Research Institute, TurkStat 2025 data.
In 2025, Adana became the second most honey-producing province in Turkey after Ordu. When interpreting these figures, itinerant beekeeping should be kept in mind: Provincial statistics may show the province where the beekeeper is registered; during the summer months, the hives may be located in the plateaus of other provinces.
Quality Criteria: What Does the Honey Communiqué Say?
The definition and quality characteristics of honey in Turkey are determined by the Turkish Food Codex Honey Communiqué (Communiqué No: 2020/7) published in the Official Gazette dated April 22, 2020. With an amendment made in 2023, the Communiqué was updated to include the concept of "decision criterion" for authenticity analyses. In the Communiqué, flower honey is defined as honey obtained from plant nectar. The main criteria for flower honeys are as follows:
| Parameter | The limit for flower honey |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Up to 20% |
| Fructose + glucose | At least 60 g/100 g |
| Sucrose | Up to 5 g/100 g (higher in some types of honey) |
| Diastase number | At least 8 |
| HMF | Up to 40 mg/kg |
| Proline | At least 300 mg/kg |
| C4 sugar | Up to 7% |
| Free acidity | Up to 50 meq/kg |
Each of these parameters indicates something different. Moisture is related to the resistance of honey to fermentation. HMF and diastase provide information about whether honey has been heat treated and how long and under what conditions. Proline and isotope (C4 sugar) analyzes are used to evaluate the authenticity of honey. The Codex Alimentarius honey standard, which is referenced in international trade, also stipulates limits of 20 percent for moisture, 40 mg/kg for HMF and at least 8 for diastase.
The Communiqué also stipulates that in order for a honey to be sold with the name of the plant (for example, "geven honey" or "thyme honey"), the pollen of that plant must be above a certain rate in pollen analysis. This rate is 45 percent for geven honey, 10 percent for thyme honey and 70 percent for chestnut honey. Highland honeys that do not meet these rates are defined as "flower honey" instead of the plant name.
Crystallization: A Natural Process, Not Degradation
The Honey Communiqué defines honey as "a natural product that can crystallize by nature". Crystallization is the formation of a crystal structure by the glucose in honey over time and is not a quality problem on its own.
The rate of crystallization depends on the sugar composition of the honey. In a study conducted on 136 honey samples, it was shown that honeys with low fructose/glucose ratio and low water content crystallized faster (Escuredo et al., 2014). Since the composition of multi-flowered highland honeys varies according to their flora, their crystallization behavior may also be different. The Communiqué also states that self-crystallizing filtered flower honey can be sold as "crystallized honey".
High heat should not be applied to make crystallized honey fluid again. High temperature leads to an increase in HMF and a decrease in diastase activity. Soaking the jar in a warm water bath is a more suitable method.
How Should Honey Be Stored?
The Honey Communiqué states that honey should be stored in a clean, dry and odorless environment, protected from direct sunlight and not exceeding 25 °C. The geographical indication certificate of Turkish Pine Honey also stipulates that the relative humidity should be kept below 60 percent.
- Close the lid of the jar tightly after each use; honey can draw moisture from the environment.
- Enter the jar with a clean and dry spoon.
- Do not store near a stove, oven, or sun-drenched window.
- Crystallization does not imply a storage error; however, bubbling or a sour smell on the surface may be a sign of fermentation.
How to Recognize Real Honey?
The way to reliably understand whether honey is real or not is laboratory analysis. For many years, carbon isotope ratio analysis has been used to detect corn or sugar cane syrups mixed with honey. The method developed by White and Winters in 1989 reveals the sugar additive by looking at the isotope difference between the honey itself and the protein in it. The δ¹³C and C4 sugar criteria in the Honey Communiqué are based on this approach.
However, adulteration methods also vary. In the European Commission's coordinated action "From the Hives" in 2021–2022, 147 (46 percent) out of 320 batches of honey imported into the EU were found suspicious. This was 14 percent in the previous action in 2015–2017. The report emphasizes that syrups are now produced from sources such as rice, wheat and sugar beets, and therefore the classical isotope method alone is not sufficient, but more advanced methods (such as LC-IRMS, NMR) are needed (Židiniaková et al., 2023).
This table clearly shows why analysis reports made in accredited laboratories are important for each batch, especially in wholesale and export honey trade.
Phenolic Compounds in Highland Honey
Honeys are also examined for their antioxidant properties due to the phenolic compounds they contain. In a study examining 62 honey samples from Turkey, it was reported that the physicochemical and biological properties of honeys were closely related to the flower source, and that dark-colored honeys had higher antioxidant capacity (Can et al., 2015). In another study conducted on multi-flowered honeys from different regions of Turkey, it was determined that vanillic acid was the most abundant phenolic component in Mediterranean Region honeys (Paksoy et al., 2026).
However, we have not been able to reach a comprehensive phenolic or antioxidant study specific to Taurus highland honeys. For this reason, generalizations such as that highland honeys are "more healing" than other honeys are not scientifically supported. Honey is first and foremost a dense source of sugar and should be consumed as part of a balanced diet.
Carob and Honey in the Taurus Mountains
The coastal areas of the Taurus Mountains are the areas where carob grows most intensively in Turkey. Carob (carob) is also included among the honey plants of Mersin and Antalya on the list of the Beekeeping Research Institute. Carob is a valuable source for hives descending from the plateau, as it blooms in autumn, when most other plants have finished flowering.
In a study conducted on carob honey produced in Silifke, Mersin, the carob pollen rate in the sample was determined as 46 percent; moisture was measured as 18.7 percent, HMF as 2.65 mg/kg and diastase number as 23.0 (Pehlivan & Gül, 2016). The relationship between carob and beekeeping Carob and Beekeeping, the properties of carob honey What is Carob Honey? We discuss it in detail in our article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Taurus highland honey? It is a name used to describe honey produced from the nectar of thyme, geven and similar plants on the heights of the Taurus Mountains, in the plateaus where the hives are located in summer. It is not a product name protected by a geographical indication.
Is there a difference between highland honey and flower honey? Most of the highland honeys are flower honey in terms of legislation. The difference comes from the elevation where the honey is produced and the flora there. In order for a honey to be sold with the name of the plant (for example, geven honey), the pollen of that plant must meet the ratio in the Communiqué in the pollen analysis.
Does the crystallization of honey indicate that it is spoiled? Crystallization is a natural process, and its rate depends on the sugar composition of the honey. However, foaming or a sour smell can be a sign of fermentation.
At what temperature should honey be stored? The Honey Communiqué stipulates that honey should be stored in a clean, dry and odorless environment not exceeding 25 °C, protected from direct sunlight.
Can honey be given to babies? The Honey Communiqué requires the phrase "Honey should not be fed to babies under 1 year of age" on honey labels.
Natural Products of Toroslar with Carob Türkiye
The Taurus Mountains are a unique geography for both carob and honey production, with rich vegetation stretching from carob orchards on the coast to the highlands highlands. As Carob Türkiye, we respond to wholesale and export demands for carob fruit, crumbs, flour/powder, seeds and extracts, as well as honey and highland honey products. For our products Our Products You can review the page, for your wholesale and export requests. Contact Now You can contact us on our page.
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