Melissopalynology is the study of honey and any pollen contained therein. By extension, it also includes the study of the pollen source. By studying the pollen in a sample of honey, it is possible to determine the geographical location and genus of the plants that the honey bees visited.
This information is useful when substantiating a claim of a particular source of a sample of honey. Honey derived from one particular source plant is more valuable than honey derived from many types of plants. The price of honey also varies according to the region it comes from.
In summary, melissopalynology is used to combat fraud and inaccurate labelling of honey.
