Acacia Honey Research Articles

Hydroxymethylfurfural content of old honey samples – Does the sticky treat really last forever?

Honey is thought to be a food source with indefinite shelf life - this statement is questioned in present work by analysing the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content of a unique series of old honeys from 1959 to 2020. Two special series are included where honey was produced and kept yearly by the same beekeeper for 30 years. Application development was carried out for White method by scaling down the volumes for the analysis. The HMF content of acacia honeys vary in a wide range (9–1320 mg/kg honey), but tendentially increase with age. However, rape and sunflower honeys show a remarkably high offset compared to the expected trendline and there is no observable pattern in their HMF level plotted against the year of collection. Even the youngest rape and sunflower honeys exceeded the threshold limit of 40 mg/kg and only acacia samples collected after 2015 remained below the accepted health value.

IN VITRO ANTIBACTERIAL PROPERTIES OF NATURAL ACACIA HONEY AGAINST SOME GRAM-POSITIVE AND GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIAL STRAINS

Acacia honey has a number of different medicinal properties. Its antiseptic properties are used to treat conjunctivitis and other eye conditions, as well as neurodermatitis and eczema. Used regularly, acacia honey helps to lower blood pressure. It has a mild sedative effect and is beneficial for mental disorders and nervous breakdowns. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of natural acacia honey produced by a Polish manufacturer against Gram-positive strains such as Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus Rosenbach (ATCC® 25923™), Enterococcus faecalis (Andrewes and Horder) Schleifer and Kilpper-Balz (ATCC® 51299™) (resistant to vancomycin; sensitive to teicoplanin) and Enterococcus faecalis (Andrewes and Horder) Schleifer and Kilpper-Balz (ATCC® 29212™) and Gram-negative strains such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Schroeter) Migula (ATCC® 27853™), Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers (ATCC® 25922™), Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers (ATCC® 35218™). The antibacterial activity of natural acacia honey was tested in vitro using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion technique. The results of the current study showed that acacia honey samples produced by a Polish manufacturer exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus Rosenbach (ATCC® 35218™), E. faecalis (Andrewes and Horder) Schleifer and Kilpper-Balz (ATCC® 51299™) and E. faecalis (Andrewes and Horder) Schleifer and Kilpper-Balz (ATCC® 29212™) strains, with the mean zone of growth inhibition ranging from 20.1 to 35.45 mm. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Schroeter) Migula (ATCC® 27853™), Escherichia coli (Migula) Castellani and Chalmers (ATCC® 25922™) and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus Rosenbach (ATCC® 25923™) strains were resistant to acacia honey samples. The antibacterial properties of acacia honey need to be validated using model food systems. Further research could indicate whether honey has potential as a preservative in minimally processed foods.

Pesticide residues in different honey types and public health risk assessment

Honeybees and humans are endangered by pesticides in daily agricultural production. The aim of this research was to investigate pesticide residues in different honey types and to assess the risk to public health. A total of 88 honey samples originating from pine, multifloral, sunflower, acacia, linden, and canola were collected and analysed by a QuEChERS method. The hazard quotient (HQ) was used to evaluate the risk of detected pesticide residues. Analysis of pine honey did not detect any residue of investigated pesticides. The most frequently detected pesticides in the honey samples were chlorpyrifos ranging between 15.1 µg/kg (linden honey) to 22.3 µg/kg (multifloral honey), clothianidin ranging between 12.0 µg/kg (acacia honey) to 22.0 µg/kg (canola honey), dimethoate ranging between 8.9 µg/kg (multifloral honey) to 18.9 µg/kg (canola honey), and thiamethoxam ranging between 4.2 µg/kg (linden honey) to 15.6 µg/kg (canola honey), respectively. The lowest estimated daily intake (EDI) of 128 × 10-3 μg/kg of body weight per day was found in acacia honey, and the highest EDI of 265 × 10-3 μg/kg of body weight per day was found in canola honey. Similar values of EDI were determined for multifloral, sunflower, and linden honey (186 × 10-3, 187 × 10-3, and 183 × 10-3), respectively. The HQ value for pine honey was 0 indicating that this honey is the safest for consumption, however, the other types of honey investigated in this study posed no risk to humans after potential consumption.

Otkrivanje prevare u bagremovom medu sa područja Tuzle primenom Pivot profile tehnike

This research aimed to examine the applicability of the Pivot Profile (PP) technique in detecting adulteration in acacia honey from the Tuzla region, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). The PP technique captured the relative meaning of descriptors and gathered free descriptions of differences between a target product and a pivot product (PVT), which served as a standard. Four pairs of samples were evaluated: original acacia honey (PVT) versus honey samples adulterated with 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% fructose-glucose syrup. The sensory assessment involved 72 participants (25 women and 47 men), all acacia honey producers aged from 20 to 55 years of age. The chi-square test (ch² = 3032.37, p < 0.001) revealed significant statistical differences among values, indicating that the consumer panel effectively distinguished the samples. The chi-square test per cell was used to explore variation within the data matrix, identifying descriptors significantly differing from PVT in citation frequency. A total of 48 sensory attributes were generated (5 for appearance, 14 for odours, 4 for basic tastes, 3 for aftertastes, 16 for flavours, 2 for trigeminal effects, and 4 for texture). Correspondence Analysis (CA) was employed to visually represent sensory changes in honey samples based on adulteration levels, illustrating consumer perception of samples and attributes. CA effectively explained nearly 60% of the variability observed across the initial two dimensions, thus emphasizing the connection between sensory alterations and consumer perception. The results revealed a reduction in aroma and appearance attributes, along with occurrences of sensory defects such as off-flavours, unpleasant trigeminal effects, and altered viscosity properties. PP technique provided detailed information about each sample, assessing similarities and differences compared to PVT in a single session using multivariate techniques, contrasting with traditional trained or expert assessments. The PP technique appears promising for further exploration in vocabulary use and data analysis, not only for other honey types but also for various food products susceptible to adulteration.

Sensitive immunoenzyme assay for the detection of antibiotic flumequine in honey.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are used to cure and protect bees and apiaries from infections. Consequently, they may contaminate honey and other products of beekeeping. In this study, a highly sensitive immunoenzyme assay (EIA) was for the first time developed for the determination of a fluoroquinolone flumequine (FLU) in honey. The EIA was carried out in an indirect competitive format with colorimetric detection. The analysis was characterized by a low limit of detection of 30 pg mL-1. The polyclonal antibodies used showed no cross-reactivity with 24 other (fluoro)quinolones; the assay was highly specific only toward FLU. Different coating FLU-protein conjugates were tested to achieve the most sensitive competitive immunodetection. A highly simplified and rapid (3-5 min) sample preparation was proposed based on the 100-300 times dilution of honey by a buffer. The developed EIA has been tested to detect FLU in honey of different origins, namely acacia, flower, buckwheat, chestnut, and linden honey. It has been demonstrated that 76.2-115.9% of FLU could be determined by the assay. The versatility, simplicity, and rapidity of the EIA enable us to propose this method as an effective tool to control the contamination of honey.

Acacia honey consumption increases hemoglobin level of pregnant women with anemia

Acacia honey consumption increases hemoglobin level of pregnant women with anemia

Comparative Effect of Honey and Antibiotics against Multi Drug Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Surgical Site Infection

Patients undergoing surgery are predominantly exposed to surgical site infections (SSI) resulting in serious consequences. A cross-sectional study comprising 100 samples, was collected from various surgical sites of admitted and non-admitted patients in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. 87 samples were tested positive for bacterial growth. After isolation and identification, the highest prevalence was recorded among isolates of Staphylococcus aureus 38 (43.6%) followed by Pseudomonas sp. 25 (28.7%), Streptococcus pyogenes 13 (14.9%) and E. coli 11 (12.6%). Antibiogram pattern was determined which showed high sensitivity of all bacterial isolates toward Clindamycin, Clarithromycin, and Piperacillin, followed by Erythromycin, Doxycycline, Co-amoxiclav, while maximum number of isolates showed resistance against Vancomycin, Ciprofloxacin, Amikacin. According to quantitative analysis, Ziziphus and Acacia honey inhibited E. coli at different Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). The results revealed that Ziziphus honey inhibited E.coli, at 100 µl concentration on the lowest MIC at 0.25 µl while Acacia honey inhibited E.coli at 75 µl concentration on lowest MIC at 0.5 µl. Ziziphus honey inhibited Pseudomonas sp. at 100 µl concentration on lowest MIC at 0.25 µl while Acacia honey inhibited Pseudomonas at 100 and 75 µl concentration on lowest MIC at 1 µl. Ziziphus honey also inhibited Staphylococcus aureus at 100 and 75 µl concentration on lowest MIC at 0.25 µl, while Acacia honey inhibited S. aureus at 100µl concentration on lowest MIC at 0.5 µl. This study concludes that Ziziphus honey was more effective in curing surgical wounds compared with Acacia honey. However, further Studies needed to be done for Ziziphus honey to utilize it as an efficient treatment approach.

Characterization of Italian honeys: integrating volatile and physico-chemical data

This article focuses on the comprehensive characterization of Italian honeys using various physico-chemical analyses and their volatile organic compounds (VOCs) fingerprint obtained through the PTR-ToF-MS technology. Honey characteristics, including pH, electrical conductivity, moisture content, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and sugar content, were analyzed to assess their quality and origin. Honey samples from different flowers, including acacia, chestnut, citrus, linden, and multifloral, were collected and investigated. Furthermore, a few aged honeys were collected and analyzed and compared with the fresh ones. Physico-chemical analysis revealed that chestnut honey is characterized by high pH and EC values. Acacia honey has a higher fructose content, while aging appears to influence HMF levels, a vital indicator of honey quality, with aged samples exhibiting significant increases in HMF content. The VOC profiles have been found to vary among different honey types, suggesting that VOCs could be used as indicators of honey origin. Multivariate statistical analyses, such as partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), have been applied to the VOCs data to differentiate honey types based on their volatile profiles. Acacia honey exhibited different physicochemical parameters but on the contrary, in the VOCs analysis, it displayed similarities with the linden honey due to their shared low emissions of volatile compounds. Citrus honey had similar chemical parameters to linden and multifloral honeys, but its distinctive VOCs emission allowed for a more accurate identification. In conclusion, the analysis performed with the PTR-ToF-MS was successful in obtaining specific volatile fingerprints of those samples and was effective for improving the characterization of honeys.

The Study of Consumer Behaviour in the Honey Market with Emphasizing Quality and Nutritional Value

The paper presents an interdisciplinary study involving consumer research complemented by analytical research. The research aim is to identify the mineral content of 5 different types of monofloral honey produced in Slovakia as well as the behaviour of Slovak honey consumers (n=600), but mainly their preferences and awareness of honey quality and its nutritional value. The results showed that honey produced by Slovak beekeepers contained trace and major minerals such as K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Al, Fe, Ba, Sr, Li, Zn. The highest mineral content was identified in honeydew honey and linden honey while the lowest content was in acacia honey and rapeseed honey. Consumer research revealed that most consumers were not able to list nutritional values or specific minerals which are found in honey. The antibacterial activity was indicated by the majority of respondents as the most frequent positive effect of honey. The most preferred monofloral honey was honeydew honey followed by acacia honey and linden honey.

COLOR,TOTAL PHENOLS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF HONEY FROM NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Thanks to the climatic and geographical conditions, the area of the Northwestern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long tradition of producing honey and other bee products. However, there is little or no literature data on the physico-chemical properties and biological activity of different types of honey and other bee products from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Five different types of honey were analyzed: monofloral honey (acacia, chestnut, linden), meadow honey and forest honey. Physico-chemical parameters, sensory analysis, color of honey, antioxidant activity, and content of total phenols were analyzed in five types off collected honey samples. The analyzes performed showed that chestnut honey contains the highest and acacia honey has the lowest content oftotal phenolic compounds. The forest honey showed the best antioxidant activity. The color of the honey was measured according to the CIELab system and the estimated L, a, bparameters show that all types of honey from this area can be characterized asdark types of honey (L50) with the presence of a yellow color. The obtained results show that the analyzed samples of five different types of honey are rich in polyphenolic components and represent a good source of antioxidants in the human diet.KEYWORDS:honey,physico-chemical parameters, color, antioxidant activity, total phenols

Utilization of various honey, fruits, and vegetables to increase hemoglobin levels in pregnant women with anemia in Indonesia

The aims of the study was to analyze the student’s theses research data of Midwifery Study Program at Faculty of Health Sciences Universitas Nasional regarding the use of honey, fruit and vegetables to increase hemoglobin levels in pregnant women with anemia in Indonesia. The research was conducted by analyzing student theses for four semesters between 2020 and 2023. The variables analyzed included location of the research, types of honey, fruits and vegetables, form of serving, method of consumption, and the effect on hemoglobin levels. A total of 522 student’s theses from 2020 until 2023 were recorded. The results showed 40 theses research (7.66%) were according to the research objectives. The research locations were cover 11 provinces in Indonesia. There are two types of honey, namely acacia honey and mutiflora honey. There are 10 fruits consumed with or without a combination (guava, star fruit, dates, tomatoes, dragon fruit, watermelon, ambon banana, papaya, lime, avocado). There are also 10 vegetables consumed with or without a combination (beetroot, carrot, red spinach, green spinach, katuk, moringa, matel, green bean, broccoli, and caulerpa). The mean increase in the hemoglobin level ranged from 0.85 to 3.71 g/dl. Prevention of anemia in pregnancy should not only be done by providing blood-boosting tablets or iron supplement but also by providing varied and nutritionally balanced food to increase the hemoglobin level and prevent anemia in pregnancy.

Unravelling Heavy Metal Dynamics in Soil and Honey: A Case Study from Maramureș Region, Romania.

The study examined soil and honey samples from the Maramureș region, assessing potentially toxic elements and their concentrations. The highest concentrations were found for (Cu), (Zn), (Pb), (Cr), (Ni), (Cd), (Co), and (As), while (Hg) remained below the detection limit. Samples near anthropogenic sources displayed elevated metal levels, with the Aurul settling pond and Herja mine being major contamination sources. Copper concentrations exceeded the legal limits in areas near these sources. Zinc concentrations were highest near mining areas, and Pb and Cd levels surpassed the legal limits near beehives producing acacia honey. Nickel and Co levels were generally within limits but elevated near the Herja mine. The study highlighted the role of anthropogenic activities in heavy metal pollution. In the second part, honey samples were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations, with variations across types and locations. Positive correlations were identified between certain elements in honey, influenced by factors like location and pollution sources. The research emphasized the need for pollution control measures to ensure honey safety. The bioaccumulation factor analysis indicated a sequential metal transfer from soil to honey. The study's comprehensive approach sheds light on toxic element contamination in honey, addressing pollution sources and pathways.

Determination of Trace, Micro and Macro Elemental Concentration of Eritrean Honeys.

In this study macro, micro and trace elemental concentrations were measured in Eritrean acacia honey samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (Al, B, C, K, Mg, Na, P and S) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr and Zn). The concentration of essential elements in the examined Eritrean acacia honeys decreased in the following order: K > P > Ca > Mg > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Sr > Mo. Independent samples T test was used to determine the statistically verified differences between the two regions, but there was none; however there were remarkable differences among the measured element contents of specific honey samples. Elemental concentrations of Eritrean honeys are influenced by the characteristics of the collecting area (e.g. elevation, agricultural activities, water resources).Our samples showed low essential elemental concentration; therefore the consumption of these honeys does not contribute significantly to the nutrition reference value (NRV) (around 1% of NRV). Toxic elemental concentrations were also low; thus the calculated estimated daily intakes were much lower than the tolerable daily intakes. Consumption of these honeys presents no risk for the human body.

Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds and Aroma Profile of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Honey at Different Storage Temperatures during Shelf Life.

Bee honey has different volatile organic compound profiles that depend on the botanical origin and the state of conservation and which are mainly responsible for its specific aroma. During honey storage, the profile of these molecules and other indicators, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and the diastatic index, can change depending on temperature and time. This study analyzed the variations that these parameters in acacia honey stored at three different temperatures for a total period of 550 days, using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and an electronic nose equipped with 10 different sensors. The results confirm that the composition of acacia honey varies over time due to both the reduction in the concentration of volatile molecules (e.g., formic acid, a natural acaricide) and the increase in compounds resulting from heat-dependent degradations (e.g., 5-hydroxymethylfurfural). This study supports the usefulness of the electronic nose for the early detection of aromatic alterations in honey subjected to high-temperature storage.

Fusion of electronic tongue and NIRS for the detection of heat treatment of honey

Honey is frequently heated during processing/packaging, often in an undeclared manner, leading to consumer misleading. Heating can induce undesirable changes above 50 °C, however, detection is not always simple, especially after exposition to lower temperatures or time periods. The aim of this study was to compare the applicability of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), electronic tongue (ET), and their fusion for the detection of heat treatment of honey. Acacia, sunflower and false indigo honeys were heated at 40, 60, 80 or 100 °C for 60, 120, 180 or 240 min. Physicochemical characteristics, color and melissopalynological analyses along with NIRS and ET measurements were performed. Principal component analysis coupled with linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) was applied for the classification of temperature, time and heat treatment level discriminations individually and using a low-level data fusion of ET and NIRS data. Results of ET and NIRS provided good results for the discrimination of the heated samples from the controls, however overlapping occurred for higher heat treatment levels. The model of the fused dataset provided >98% average correct classification of the models and 100% correct classification of the control honeys. Fusion of these methods has a potential in the detection of low-level heat treatment of honey.

Adulteration quantification of cheap honey in high-quality Manuka honey by two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy combined with deep learning

The adulteration of cheap honey in high value honey has a negative impact on consumer health, and its detection is also a challenging task. A fast, non-invasive and cost-effective spectroscopic strategy was proposed to quantify the honey fraud based on the two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) of Raman spectra combined with multiple deep learning techniques. 700 Raman spectra of Manuka, acacia and multi-floral honeys were collected, and the corresponding synchronous, asynchronous and integrative correlation spectra were obtained. The t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and partial least square regression (PLSR) were used to analyze one-dimensional spectra and 2D-COS image datasets of the same sample, demonstrating that 2D-COS can highlight the complex fingerprint features of samples and thus contribute to the spectral characterization. The combination of synchronous 2D-COS and deep residual shrinkage networks (DRSN) achieved the best performance compared to the other models, with the root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) of 3.1166 for Manuka honey and 2.3188 for acacia honey, respectively. The impressive performance of the proposed spectral method is sufficient to quantify the adulteration of cheap honey. This study provides a novel alternative for relevant detection tasks and facilitates to ascertain the authenticity of high-value honey products.

Simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analyses of volatile components in Chinese honey of six botanical origins using headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Honey aroma is one of its most important properties and it depends on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the volatile compounds. The volatile profile of honey could reveal its botanical origin to avoid a false characterization. Thus, it is of great significance to honey authentication. This study developed and validated a headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) method for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analyses of 34 volatile components in honey. The developed method was applied to 86 honey samples from six different botanical origins, including linden honey, rape honey, jujube honey, vitex honey, lavender honey and acacia honey. The volatile fingerprints and quantitative results were simultaneously obtained by using the SCAN+SIM mass spectrometry scanning mode. The limits of quantifications (LOQs) and limits of detections (LODs) of 34 volatile compounds were in the ranges of 1-10 ng/g and 0.3-3 ng/g, respectively. And the spiked recoveries ranged between 70.6% and 126.2%, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) not higher than 45.4%. A total of 98 volatile compounds were found with relative contents determined, and the 34 volatile compounds were determined with absolute concentrations. Based on the volatile fingerprints and the contents of volatile compounds, honey samples from six botanical origins were well classified by principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least-squares discrimination analysis. The HS-SPME-GC-MS method was successfully applied to achieve the volatile fingerprints of six types of honey and to absolute quantitative analyze of 34 volatile compounds with satisfying sensitivity and accuracy. Chemometrics analysis showed significant correlations between honey types and volatiles. These results reveal the characteristics of volatile compounds in six types of unifloral honey and provide some supports for honey authentication. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Analysis of polyphenolic components of Hungarian acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey; method development, statistical evaluation

Analysis of polyphenolic components of Hungarian acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey; method development, statistical evaluation

First report of some chemical and biological properties of two wild honey types collected from a remote area in Southern Darfur, Sudan

Natural honey's physico-chemical and biological qualities vary by origin, variety and nectar source. Wild honey may provide health benefits. Biomedical research reveals its advantages. Little is known about Sudanese wild honey and Southern Darfur honey. In this investigation, the antioxidant, antibacterial, and physicochemical characteristics of two varieties of Sudanese wild honey were studied. Ziziphus and acacia honey ranged in amber color, density, pH, ash, electrical conductivity and free acidity. Both honey samples included vital nutrients and no heavy metals. Both honey samples exhibit exceptional antioxidant activity, but Acacia honey's antioxidant capacity is greater. Both honey samples demonstrated outstanding antibacterial efficacy against all gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ziziphus honey was more antibacterial than acacia honey. The MIC and MBC data exhibited bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against the investigated microorganisms, indicating a synergistic effect of honey's overall contents against pathogens. These results imply that ziziphus and acacia honey samples from Southern Darfur, Sudan, have antibacterial and antioxidant properties and could be used to improve health and as a food supplement.

Antioxidants Discovery for Differentiation of Monofloral Stingless Bee Honeys Using Ambient Mass Spectrometry and Metabolomics Approaches.

Stingless bee honey (SBH) is a natural, sweet product produced by stingless bees (Meliponini tribe) that has been used as a traditional medicine to treat various illnesses. It has been shown that SBH has high nutritional value and health-promoting properties due to the presence of plant bioactive compounds from different botanical flora of the foraged nectar. In this study, the antioxidant activities of seven monofloral honeys from acacia, agarwood, coconut, dwarf mountain pine (DMP), Mexican creeper (MC), rubber, and starfruit botanical origins were investigated. The antioxidant properties of SBH studied had a range from 19.7 to 31.4 mM TE/mg for DPPH assays, 16.1 to 29.9 mM TE/mg for ABTS assays, 69.0 to 167.6 mM TE/mg for ORAC assays, and 45.5 to 89.3 mM Fe2+/mg for FRAP assays. Acacia honey showed the highest level of antioxidant properties. The models built from mass spectral fingerprints from direct ambient mass spectrometry showed distinct clusters of SBH by botanical origin and correlated with the antioxidant properties. An untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics approach was undertaken to identify the antioxidant compounds that could explain the unique antioxidant and compositional profiles of the monofloral SBH by its botanical origin. The antioxidants that were identified predominantly consisted of alkaloids and flavonoids. Flavonoid derivatives, which are potent antioxidants, were found to be key markers of acacia honey. This work provides the fundamental basis for the identification of potential antioxidant markers in SBH associated with the botanical origin of the foraged nectar.