Abstract
Honey is a functional food with health-beneficial properties and it is already used as a medical device in wound care management. Whether ingested orally or applied topically, honey must fulfill the requirements of international standards based on physicochemical characteristics. However, there is an urgent need for some additional standards reflecting biological properties. The aim of the study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of 36 commercial honey samples purchased from supermarkets and local food shops and compare their efficacy to that of three honey samples from local beekeepers and three types of medical-grade honey. Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content and protein profile were assessed in all honey samples. Analysis of the antibacterial activity of commercial honeys revealed that 44% of tested samples exhibited low antibacterial activity, identical to the activity of artificial honey (sugars only). There was a significant correlation between the overall antibacterial activity and H2O2 content of honey samples. However, in some cases, honey samples exhibited high antibacterial activity while generating low levels of H2O2 and vice versa. Honey samples from local beekeepers showed superior antibacterial activity compared to medical-grade honeys. The antibacterial activity of honey can be easily altered by adulteration, thermal treatment or prolonged storage, and therefore it fulfils strict criteria to be suitable new additional quality standard.
Highlights
Honey, a traditional sweetener, is considered as a functional food, and several recent clinical studies have proved its health-beneficial properties such as improving lipid profile [1], reducing postoperative pain [2] and inflammation [3] and modulating of hypertension [4]
The activity of the commercial honey samples against bacteria was expressed as an minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value (Figure 1)
We demonstrated that the antibacterial activity of commercial honeys purchased in supermarkets and local food shops is not uniform
Summary
A traditional sweetener, is considered as a functional food, and several recent clinical studies have proved its health-beneficial properties such as improving lipid profile [1], reducing postoperative pain [2] and inflammation [3] and modulating of hypertension [4]. Honey has successfully been used topically in the treatment of a broad spectrum of surgical and chronic wounds [5,6] and mucositis [7] as well as herpes simplex labialis [8]. Whether applied topically or ingested orally, honey must fulfil all the requirements of international standards and possesses proven biological activity. Honey has to be sterilised by gamma radiation when used in wound care management. In the case of medical usage, only honey of high quality and with guaranteed biological activity should be a part of honey-based medical products. Several quality standards have been recongnised and listed as ‘Current international honey standards’ which are specified in the European Honey Directive (2002) [9] as well as in the
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