The LC-MS/MS technique was applied to the stability study of several flavonoids and phenolic acids in honey samples during the ultrasonic extraction (USE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE).

Phenolic compounds from the standard mixture were stable under ultrasounds action with the mean recovery of (90.4%±7.1%), but during microwave-assisted extraction the benzoic acid derivatives and aglycones of flavonoids showed lower recovery (70-80%).

In honey matrix, the phenolic acids and the glycosides exhibited the high stability for MAE and USE treatments. However, the recoveries of tested aglycones were below 10%. In the presence of an artificial sugar matrix, flavonols were almost completely degraded after successive treatment under MAE and USE conditions.

The obtained results indicated that standard addition method for flavonoids quantification in honey samples should not be recommended.

Application of the USE conditions provided higher and/or similar extraction yields for phenolic acids than usually applied shaking with solvent. It also allowed shortening the time required for the whole sample preparation procedure. Phenolic acids and glycosides such as quercetrin, rutin and hesperidin appeared to be stable under such conditions.