Characterization and profiling of mustard honey derived from three subspecies of Apis cerana F. in Bangladesh

Abstract

The Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, has received considerable attention as a quality honey producing bee species among the beekeepers and consumers all over the world As a natural health product, the nutritional profiling of honey from different botanical sources have well understood, however, the physico-chemical properties of honey can also be mediated from its entomological sources. Recent phylogeny of A. cerana in Bangladesh revealed the occurrences of three subspecies, however, the physico-chemical profiling of the honey corresponding to A. cerana subspecies were lacking. This research aims to analyze the physicochemical and biochemical properties of honey derived from the identified A. cerana subspecies for profiling for using as an authentical tool against honey adulteration. Honeybee samples were collected from seven localities in Bangladesh based on nectarine sources. Genetic diversity was estimated using the mtDNA sequences of Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit-1 (COI 1) gene of A. cerana with accession number (MZ558037-MZ558043). The physicochemical properties, namely moisture, pH, color, free acidity, formaldehyde, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), electrical conductivity (EC), and optical density (OD), were analyzed for profiling and determining correlations among the identified honeybee subspecies. Phylogenetic analysis of A. cerana revealed three subspecies namely A. cerana indica, A. cerana japonica, and A. cerana cerana. Among physicochemical properties of honey color absorbance showed strong positive correlation with OD, EC, pH that denoted increase in OD, EC, pH also increases the color. free acidity among the honey produced by three different subspecies. However, formaldehyde and free acidity are positively correlate with each other. The findings can be used to discriminate honey in accordance to their entomological origin.