Characterization and biological evaluation of selected Mediterranean propolis samples. Is it a new type?

•Chemical composition of thirty two selected Mediterranean propolis samples.•Greek propolis samples share characteristics that differentiate them from European propolis.•Confirmation of a new type diterpene rich propolis proposed to be called Mediterranean type.•Propolis samples through chemometrics were separated into three groups.•Strong antimicrobial activity of propolis from different regions of Greece.

Chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of thirty two (32) selected Mediterranean propolis extracts from mainland Greece, Greek islands, Cyprus, Croatia, and Algeria were determined. Chemo-geographical patterns within Mediterranean propolis were further analyzed by chemometrics.Knowledge of propolis composition, which depends on the geographical and climatic origin and its biological properties from different geographic regions samples, is extremely valuable with respect to the problem of propolis standardization.This work concluded that the Greek propolis samples share characteristics that differentiate them from typical European propolis, like the presence of diterpenes in significant amounts and the relatively low quantity of phenolic acid esters and besides their potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical value, they are also attractive candidates for use as natural antioxidant and microbicidal additives in food systems.