Bee Products Research Articles

Honey: A Bioactive Resource for Diversified Therapeutic Use in Traditional Medicine

Abstract: Honey, a natural bioactive resource is obtained from Apis mellifera. It has been cherished as a natural product known for its dietary supplement and an effective remedy in traditional medicine to creation of nutraceuticals and functional foods in modern medicine of present generations. Apiculture is the practice of rearing honeybees, keeping them healthy and utilizing products like honey, bee pollen, bee bread and royal jelly for various purposes. The myriad benefits of natural products obtained from honeybees has been mentioned in the inscriptions and documents of several holy books like the Vedas, the Bible, and the Quran. and Bible. Bee products are known for their therapeutic use since ancient times in Egypt, Greece, and China. In India honeybee rearing is one of the traditional practices of indigenous community of ethnic tribes. It is a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites like flavonoids, polyphenols, organic acids, vitamins, and minerals and thus contributes to its effectiveness in dietary supplement both as food and medicine. It also acts as an immunomodulator, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant source and hence helps in curing various diseases. Due to its therapeutic characteristics, honey can be used to cure bronchial asthma, cough, TB, hepatitis, GI disorders and a variety of other ailments. Research investigations have proven that honey can also help in wound healing and in the treatment of ulcers. It is used in cosmetics to repair the skin by acting as an exfoliating agent and moisturizer in anti-tanning sunscreen lotions. The present research article highlights the comprehensive study on the efficacy of honey as a bio-resource for diversified therapeutic use in traditional medicine.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Apis mellifera L. Honey, Propolis, Royal Jelly in Iraqi Kurdistan Region

This study was conducted at a laboratory in the Biology, College of Education, University of Salahaddin, from February to May 2022 to investigate propolis, honey and royal jelly’s chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The honeybee production extract showed that Gram (+) bacteria were more resistant to the antibacterial compounds of honey and propolis than Gram (-) bacteria and fungi. E. coli was a more sensitive isolate than all the other bacteria examined against the honey types tested. At the same time, it revealed more resistance against all types of propolis. Royal jelly with honey displayed more antimicrobial activity than other bee products and exhibited superior activity; the minimum inhibitory concentration of honey and propolis samples ranged from 32 to 512µg/mL. The MIC value of the most effective honey (Honey 1, Honey 2 and Royal jelly) was 32µg/mL. The lowest concentration of Qaladze propolis was (32µg/mL) for E. coli ATCC 25922, followed by 128µg/mL in some other propolis types. Keywords: Apis mellifera; antimicrobial activities; honey; propolis; royal jelly.

The Identification of Bee Comb Cell Contents Using Semiconductor Gas Sensors.

Beekeeping is an extremely difficult field of agriculture. It requires efficient management of the bee nest so that the bee colony can develop efficiently and produce as much honey and other bee products as possible. The beekeeper, therefore, must constantly monitor the contents of the bee comb. At the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, research is being carried out to develop methods for efficient management of the apiary. One of our research goals was to test whether a gas detector (MCA-8) based on six semiconductor sensors-TGS823, TGS826, TGS832, TGS2600, TGS2602, and TGS2603 from the company FIGARO-is able to recognize the contents of bee comb cells. For this purpose, polystyrene and wooden test chambers were created, in which fragments of bee comb with different contents were placed. Gas samples were analyzed from an empty comb, a comb with sealed brood, a comb with open brood, a comb with carbohydrate food in the form of sugar syrup, and a comb with bee bread. In addition, a sample of gas from an empty chamber was tested. The results in two variants were analyzed: (1) Variant 1, the value of 270 s of sensor readings from the sample measurement (exposure phase), and (2) Variant 2, the value of 270 s of sensor readings from the sample measurement (measurement phase) with baseline correction by subtracting the last 600 s of surrounding air measurements (flushing phase). A five-time cross-validation 2 (5xCV2) test and the Monte Carlo cross-validation 25 (trained and tested 25 times) were performed. Fourteen classifiers were tested. The naive Bayes classifier (NB) proved to be the most effective method for distinguishing individual classes from others. The MCA-8 device brilliantly differentiates an empty comb from a comb with contents. It differentiates better between an empty comb and a comb with brood, with results of more than 83%. Lower class accuracy was obtained when distinguishing an empty comb from a comb with food and a comb with bee bread, with results of less than 73%. The matrix of six TGS sensors in the device shows promising versatility in distinguishing between various types of brood and food found in bee comb cells. This capability, though still developing, positions the MCA-8 device as a potentially invaluable tool for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of beekeepers in the future.

Türkiye Artvin İli Hatila Vadisi ve Macahel Arı Ürünlerinin Farklı Çözücülerdeki Fenolik İçeriklerinin ve Antioksidan Aktivitelerinin Belirlenmesi

This study determines the extracts of bee products prepared with different solvents in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the Hatila Valley and Macahel region of Artvin, Turkey. For this purpose, water and ethanol extracts of royal jelly and honey; water, ethanol, 70% ethanol, propylene glycol and 70% propylene glycol extracts of pollen and propolis were analyzed by total polyphenol and flavonoid content, and ferric reducing power.
 The results of the analyzes indicated that Macahel honey and propolis had higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity than Hatila honey and propolis. Hatila bee products were ranked as propolis > pollen > royal jelly > honey in terms of phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activities of Hatila Valley and Macahel bee products vary depending on the amount of phenolic compounds in their structures. Furthermore, when Hatila, Macahel, and Hatila + Macahel propolis were compared in terms of polyphenol and flavonoid content and ferric reducing power, the order was Macahel propolis > Hatila + Macahel propolis > Hatila propolis. A statistically significant difference was found between 70% ethanol and 70% propylene glycol and water, and although these solvents had higher solubility, the lowest solubility was in water. These differences vary depending on the geographical location, botanical and climatic variations of the region where the bee products are collected, and the solvent used for the extraction. Therefore, rather than using a single propolis sample for various sectors such as the food, medical and cosmetic industries, propolis mixtures may be suitable for different applications.

High-performance thin-layer chromatography‒multi-stage mass spectrometry methods for analyses of bee pollen botanically originating from sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)

High-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) silica gel and amino plates in combination with developing solvents containing formic and acetic acid were examined for HPTLC‒multi-stage mass spectrometry (MSn) analyses of chestnut bee pollen samples from Slovenia and Türkiye. Ethyl acetate‒formic acid‒acetic acid‒water (10:1.1:1.1:2.6, V/V) and ethyl acetate‒dichloromethane‒formic acid‒acetic acid (10:2.5:1:1.1, V/V) were used for development of silica gel and amino plates, respectively. Twofold pre-development was required for the developed HPTLC‒MSn methods. The first pre-development was performed with methanol‒formic acid (10:3, V/V) for silica gel plates and methanol‒formic acid (10:5, V/V) for amino plates. The second pre-development with methanol was equal for both types of the plates. Using the developed HPTLC‒MSn methods, five phenylamides (spermidines), six isorhamnetin glycosides and gluconic acid were identified in both chestnut bee pollen samples. Glycosylated phenolic acid (caffeic acid-hexoside) was detected only in the Turkish bee pollen sample. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on isorhamnetin-(hexosyl)hexoside, isorhamnetin-acetylhexoside, isorhamnetin-(pentosyl-deoxyhexosyl)hexoside and caffeic acid-hexoside in chestnut bee pollen. This is also the first report on isorhamnetin-(pentosyl-deoxyhexosyl)hexoside and caffeic acid-hexoside in any bee products.

Differences in the biochemical content and radical scavenging activity of propolis from different parts of a Meliponula ferruginea hive.

Research on stingless bee products has increased in recent years, and of particular interest is propolis because of its biological activities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial. However, there is paucity of information regarding intra-hive variations in the biochemical composition and biofunctional properties of this propolis. In this study, we investigated the phytochemicals and radical scavenging activity (RSA) of Meliponula ferruginea propolis from 10 wooden hives (n = 49). The samples were collected from five different locations comprising the entrance, involucrum, pillars, pots and sealant. Principal component analysis showed that there is an intra-hive variation in phytochemical content and RSA. Phenolic content constituted the highest phytochemical content in all the locations. The sealant and entrance had the highest amounts of phytochemicals compared to the involucrum, pillars and pots. Further analysis of propolis extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed occurrence of different compounds such as monoterpenoids, hydrocarbons, triterpenoids and alkaloids. Hydrocarbons were common in all parts while monoterpenes and triterpenes were present in the entrance. The findings of our study indicates that there is an intra-hive variation in propolis of M. ferruginea and hence this information will provide further insight into better understanding of stingless bee propolis.

Efficacy of Bee Products (Anzer Honey, Pollen and Propolis) in Detection and Healing of Damage Induced by Antidiabetic Drug Vildagliptin/Metformin Hydrochloride in Healthy Human Pancreatic Cells: Cytotoxic, Genotoxic and Biochemical Studies.

Although drugs are powerful therapeutic agents, they have a range of side effects. These side effects are sometimes cellular and not clinically noticeable. Vildagliptin/metformin hydrochloride is one of the most widely used oral antidiabetic drugs with two active ingredients. In this study, we investigated its harmful effects on the metabolic activation system in healthy human pancreatic cells "hTERT-HPNE", and we aimed to improve these harmful effects by natural products. To benefit from the healing effect, we used the unique natural products produced by the bees of the Anzer Plateau in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of the drug were investigated by different tests, such as MTT, flow cytometry-apoptosis and comet assays. Anzer honey, pollen and propolis were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (G/C-MS). A total of 19 compounds were detected, constituting 99.9% of the samples. The decrease in cell viability at all drug concentrations was statistically significant compared to the negative control (P<0.05). A statistically significant decrease was detected in the apoptosis caused by vildagliptin/metformin hydrochloride with the supplementation of Anzer honey, pollen and propolis in hTERT-HPNE cells (P<0.05). This study can contribute to other studies testing the healing properties of natural products against the side effects of oral antidiabetics in human cells. In particular, Anzer honey, pollen and propolis can be used as additional foods to maintain cell viability and improve heal damage and can be evaluated against side effects in other drug studies.

PCA and LDA Assessment of the Heavy Metal Contamination in Honey Bees, Bee Pollen and Honey Produced in Urban Areas of Türkiye

Heavy metals are of great importance in terms of environmental pollution. Environmental pollution affects not only humans but also plants and animals. Living organisms with varying sensitivity to various pollutants can be used to assess environmental pollution. Honey bees have been used as bioindicators for this purpose because they operate in very large areas in their region. The aim of this study is to investigate heavy metal pollution in honey bees and bee products in 4 different urban regions of Konya using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis. In this study, when the heavy metal contents of honey bees, bee pollen, and honey samples are compared, it is seen that bees are exposed to more heavy metal contamination. Honey bees don’t reflect these amounts in the honey, and the heavy metal content in honey remains in much smaller amounts. When principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to these samples, the heavy metal variation of bees and bee pollen can be explained by three components, while the variation of the heavy metal contents of honey can be explained by four components. Linear discriminant analysis was performed to distinguish the geographic locations of the samples. According to the results of the LDA analysis for heavy metal content, the bees can be assigned to 80% and the pollen and honey to 100% of their correct geographical origin.

Bee products as valuable nutritional ingredients: Determination of broad free amino acid profiles in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis

This study compared the amino acid content of three bee products: royal jelly, propolis, and bee pollen, which is a step toward improving the quality of nutrition and the safety of supplementation with these beneficial products of natural origin. The samples were collected from the hives of Apis mellifera bees in the apiaries located in Poland. A broad panel of free amino acids in bee products was determined using the highly selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. We quantified 32 amino acids in bee pollen, 31 in royal jelly, and 28 in propolis. The most abundant essential amino acid in bee products was histidine in bee pollen (1.5 mg/g), lysine in royal jelly (2.05 mg/g) and valine in propolis (0.006 mg/g). Proline was the most abundant non-essential amino acid in all bee products and accounted for 6.7 mg/g; 1.4 mg/g; and 0.3 mg/g, in bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis, respectively. Among the non-proteinogenic amino acids, γ-amino-n-butyric acid was quantified in the highest concentrations in bee pollen (1.05 mg/g). Our study proved that bee products are characterized by specific profiles of free amino acids. In terms of protein and non-protein amino acid content, bee pollen is the most valuable bee product.

Efficient degradation of imidacloprid by surface discharge cold plasma: Mechanism of interaction between ROS and molecular structure and evaluation of residual toxicity

Incorrect use of neonicotinoid pesticides poses a serious threat to human and pollinator health, as these substances are commonly present in bee products and even drinking water. To combat this threat, the study developed a new method of degrading the pesticide imidacloprid using surface discharge cold plasma oxidation technology. The study showed that this method achieved a very high efficiency of imidacloprid degradation of 91.4%. The main reactive oxygen species (H2O2, O3, ·OH, O2-, 1O2) effectively participated in the decomposition reaction of imidacloprid. Reactive oxygen species were more sensitive to the structure of the nitroimine group. Density functional theory (DFT) further explored the sites of reactive oxygen species attack on imidacloprid and revealed the process of energy change of attacking imidacloprid. In addition, a degradation pathway for imidacloprid was proposed, mainly involving reactive oxygen species chemisorption, a ring-opening intermediate, and complete cleavage of the nitroimine group structure. Model predictions indicated that acute oral and developmental toxicity were significantly reduced after cold plasma treatment, as confirmed by insect experiments. Animal experiments have shown that plasma treatment reduces imidacloprid damage to mice hippocampal tissue structure and inhibits the reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor content, thus revealing the detoxification mechanism of the body.

Polyamine profiling in honey bee products: A contribution to functional nutrition

Polyamines are small ubiquitous molecules that have various implications in health and disease. Since the diet is an important source of polyamines, the aim of this study was to determine the content of major natural polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) in honey bee products used in human nutrition whose botanical origin was previously determined. The total content of polyamines was the highest in bee pollen (125–712 mg/kg), slightly lower in bee bread (288–602 mg/kg), much lower in royal jelly (68.9–121 mg/kg) and negligibly small in honey samples (2.80–10.8 mg/kg). Spermidine predominated in bee pollen, bee bread and honey, and putrescine in royal jelly. Botanical origin did not affect the total content or the proportion of individual polyamines, which were always representative of the bee product. This study shows that a significant content of polyamines in bee products could contribute to their high nutritional value.

Effect-directed profiling of bee pollen versus propolis

Natural bee products are increasingly used in cosmetics, health products, and food supplements. Bee pollen and propolis are quite different products, although the processing by the bees is for the most part very similar. Hence, the bioactive compound profiles of five different bee pollen products on the market were studied in comparison to 13 propolis products using high-performance thin-layer chromatography combined with six different effect-directed planar assays. The developed non-target profiling detected bioactive compounds active according to diverse metabolic mechanisms in both bee products. However, the bioactivity of propolis samples across all assays was substantially higher than that of bee pollen. Bioactive compound zones of interest were further characterized by online elution to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Because specific hazards are known for bee products, non-target profiling has the advantage of being able to detect also bioactive contaminants or residues. Such profiling of natural bee products is highly informative and more proactive regarding quality control, food safety, and consumer protection compared to status quo methods.

The Use of Herbal Products/Dietary Supplements and Affecting Factors in Patients Applying to a Pediatric Neurology Outpatient Clinic: A Descriptive Questionnaire Study

Objectives: The use of herbal products/dietary supplements (HP/DS) in the pediatric population is increasing day by day. The interaction of HP/DSs with drugs with a narrow therapeutic index such as phenytoin, phenobarbital, and valproic acid, may cause problems in treatment. In this respect, it is very important to determine the use of HP/DS in children with neurological diseases and/or complaints. In this study, it was aimed to determine the use of HP/DS and the factors affecting the use of these products in individuals with a neurological complaint and/or disease who applied to the pediatric neurology outpatient clinic. Methods: Parents were questioned face-to-face as part of the descriptive questionnaire research. 174 questionnaires with appropriate data quality were included in the study. The statistical software tool SPSS 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Results: 44.6% of the parents stated that they gave HP/DS to their children. The findings of the analysis showed that kids whose parents use HP/DS are more likely to utilize these items themselves (p&lt;0.001). The most commonly used products are linden (70.1%), bee products (26.0%), carob (18.2%), chamomile (13.0%), and lemon (13.0%). It has been determined that the reasons for parents to have their children use HP/DS are to strengthen the immune system (51.9%), improve general health status (40.3%), and supplement normal nutrition (27.3%), respectively. Conclusions: This study revealed a high frequency of HP/DS use in children with pediatric neurological diseases/complaints in Türkiye. The frequency of HP/DS use was higher in children whose parents tended to consume HP/DS. Considering the high use of these products, healthcare professionals need to inform parents to prevent adverse effects caused by HP/DS.

Special Issue: “Frontier Research in Apiculture (Diagnosis and Control of Bee Diseases, Bee Products, Environmental Monitoring)”

In recent years, the attention paid to farmed honeybees has considerably increased based on new and different threats posed to this sector, i [...]

Differentiating between Monofloral Portuguese Bee Pollens Using Phenolic and Volatile Profiles and Their Impact on Bioactive Properties.

Nowadays, bee products are commended by consumers for their medicinal and dietary properties. This study aimed to differentiate between monofloral bee pollens originating from Portugal using phenolic and volatile profiles and investigate their antioxidant and cytotoxic activity. Total phenolic and flavonoid compounds were recorded between 2.9-35.8 mg GAE/g and 0.7-4.8 mg QE/g, respectively. The LC/DAD/ESI-MSn analytical results allowed us to identify and quantify a total of 72 compounds, including phenolic and phenylamide compounds, whereas GC-MS results revealed the presence of 49 different compounds, mostly ketones, aldehydes, esters, hydrocarbons, and terpenes. The highest DPPH• radical scavenging activity, EC50: 0.07 mg/mL, was recorded in the sample dominated by Castanae sp. pollen, whereas the Rubus sp. (1.59 mM Trolox/mg) and Cistaceae sp. (0.09 mg GAE/g) pollen species exhibited the highest antioxidant activity in ABTS•+ and reducing power assays, respectively. Regarding the anti-carcinogenic activity, only Carduus sp. showed remarkable cytotoxic potential against MCF-7.

Nootropic effect of Indian Royal Jelly against okadaic acid induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease: Inhibition of neuroinflammation and acetylcholineesterase

BackgroundRoyal jelly is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective bee product. There are several sources for royal jelly and one of them is Indian Royal Jelly (IRJ). However, the neuroprotective actions of IRJ and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved are not well known. ObjectiveTo evaluate the neuroprotective effect of IRJ in the okadaic acid (OKA)-induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) model in rats. MethodsIn male Wistar rats, OKA was intracerebroventricularly (ICV) administered, and from day 7, they were treated orally with IRJ or memantine for 21 days. Spatial and recognition learning and memory were evaluated from days 27–34; employing the Morris water maze (MWM) and the novel object recognition tests (NORT), respectively. In vitro biochemical measurements were taken of the cholinergic system and oxidative stress markers. In silico docking was used to find the role of tau protein kinase and phosphatase in the pharmacological action. ResultsIn OKA-induced rats, IRJ decreased the escape latency and path length in MWM and increased the exploration time for novel objects and the discrimination index in NORT. ICV-OKA rats had higher free radicals and cytokines that caused inflammation and their level of free radical scavengers was back to normal with IRJ treatment. IRJ increased the level of acetylcholine and inhibited acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, the in silico docking study revealed the strong binding affinity of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a bioactive constituent of IR, to the tau protein kinases and phosphatases. ConclusionIRJ may serve as a nootropic agent in the treatment of dementia, and owing to its capacity to prevent oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, and increase cholinergic tone; it has the potential to be explored as a novel strategy for the treatment of dementia and AD. More studies may be needed to develop 10-HDA as a novel drug entity for AD.

Bee Products for Poultry and Rabbits: Current Challenges and Perspectives.

Poultry and rabbit production are important and rapidly growing agricultural subsectors, particularly in several developing countries. To ensure the sustainability of poultry and rabbit production, realistic poultry and rabbit farming practices must be improved. Apitherapy is a traditional alternative medicine that involves the prevention and treatment of some diseases with several bee products including propolis, royal jelly, pollen, and venom. More feeding investigations on the numerous benefits of bee products for poultry and rabbits are crucial to be addressed. Poultry and rabbit production has recently experienced numerous challenges, including climate change, disease spread, and antibiotic misuse. Improving animal welfare, health, and production is a top priority for all livestock farms, as is supplying consumers with safe and healthy products. Therefore, this review aims to collect and investigate recent relevant literature on the use of bee products, as feed additives, drinking water supplements, and injections, for poultry and rabbits to improve animal health and production. From the current findings, bee products can improve the growth and immunological performance of small-livestock animals, such as poultry and rabbits, by activating digestive enzymes, maintaining microbial balance, and promoting vitamin synthesis. Therefore, bee products could be a promising natural alternative to growth promoters, reproductive stimulants, and immunological enhancers in poultry and rabbit farms to provide safe and healthy products for humans.

Advancements in red propolis: a technological prospection for antimicrobial applications

The red propolis is a bee product with great biotechnological potential due to its antimicrobial and therapeutic properties. The present study used technological mapping to investigate the antimicrobial activities of red propolis in patents deposited in Brazil (INPI) and in international databases such as the European Patent Office (Espacenet) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The results indicated that Brazil holds the highest number of patents related to red propolis, and propolis produced in Alagoas was the most cited. Class A61K was the most frequent, suggesting strong therapeutic potential, especially in dental applications. Public universities were the main patent depositors, with institutions in Alagoas standing out. The data also revealed potential for patent deposits in areas such as agriculture and new pharmaceutical applications, including the production of controlled-release devices and the synthesis of nanomaterials. Red propolis is a promising raw material for the development of products with antimicrobial activity, and the deposited patents indicate a growing interest in exploring its properties in various areas, including the pharmaceutical industry and agriculture.

Selection of functional ingredients for fortification of soft beverages

The creation of functional soft drinks enriched with biologically active substances of natural origin necessary for human health is relevant and of great practical importance. The fortification of soft drinks is aimed at creating functional drinks by introducing sources of physiologically functional ingredients during their industrial production. Functional ingredients are classified into several groups: vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, minerals, antioxidants, essential amino acids, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics. The natural sources containing the relevant functional ingredients and the functions performed by these substances in the human body are indicated. The directions of application of physiologically functional ingredients in the technology of soft drinks are considered. To fortify soft drinks with biologically active substances, a number of additives have been proposed: vitamins, vitamin premixes, β-carotene; vitamin and mineral mixtures, compositions, premixes; seaweed additives; vegetable milk; a complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids; modified cellulose, pectin, inulin, gums from tree bark, tree seeds, root tubers, algae and biochemically produced; salts of micro- and macroelements; fruit and vegetable supplements; phytoextracts; plant protein extracts, protein mixtures; probiotic cultures of microorganisms, immunotropic ingredients of bacterial origin; bee products. It has been shown that natural additives have advantages over synthetic ones, since their components – proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc. – are in an easily digestible form, and the complexity of their chemical composition leads to a comprehensive enrichment of beverages with biologically active substances. When developing functional soft drinks, it is necessary to take into account that fortification has a number of limitations due to the technological capabilities of introducing certain functional ingredients into the beverage and ensuring their effective bioavailability.

Physicochemical and sensory parameters of black locust and chestnut honey quality

Black locust honey is produced from nectar collected from the Robinia tree (Robinia pseudoacacia). It has light yellow colour, very light and neutral fragrance, and smells of acacia blossom. It has a medium-sweet to very sweet taste, which is fairly to very long-lasting. Its aroma lasts for a short time and it slowly crystallizes. Chestnut honey is produced from nectar or collected from the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa). Honey is dark brown with a red tint colour, dark colour depends on the region and year, and its aroma is very distinctive with extremely characteristic bitter taste. It rarely crystallizes. This paper presents the characteristics of quality black locust and chestnut honey produced in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2012-2015. The study included 31 samples of honey. Laboratory testing of black locust and chestnut honey were carried out in accordance with the rules of the Ordinance on Honey and other Bee Products (Official Gazette of BiH, No. 37/09) and the EU Directive 2001/110/EC; CODEX STAN 12-1981. Indicators of quality (water content, electrical conductivity, total acidity, pH, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), and colour) and sensory properties of honey were determined. It was found that patterns of black locust and chestnut honey classified according to years showed certain variability in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics.