Properties Of Stingless Bee Honey Research Articles

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF STINGLESS BEE (Heterotrigona itama) HONEY COLLECTED FROM Calliandra calothyrsus PLANTATION IN EAST KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA

Stingless bee honey is one of the most valuable insect products. The increasing popularity of stingless bee honey can be attributed to its composition, which has been linked to medicinal properties. Beekeeping with stingless bees is well-known in Indonesia, with Heterotrigona itama is the most popular stingless bee species cultivated in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Stingless bees utilize various plant species as sustenance sources. Among those plants, Calliandra calothyrsus is popular planting in Indonesian bee plantations. This study analyzed the antioxidant (DPPH assay), phytochemical (qualitative method), water, and sugar content of H. itama stingless bee honey collected from a C. calothyrsus plantation. The results show that the water and sugar contents of the honey in this study were higher than in other research. Meanwhile, antioxidant capacity was also higher than in other studies. The phytochemical contents detected from honey in this study were carotenoids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, and triterpenoids. Even though the properties of stingless bee honey can differ based on vegetation and geographical origin, H. itama stingless bee honey collected from C. calothyrsus plantation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, showed potential antioxidant activity and phytochemical content, which is advantageous to human health.

Antioxidant Activity, Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Stingless Bee Honey from Australia.

This study reports on the physicochemical and sensory attributes, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of 36 honey samples produced by two different stingless bee species (Tetragonula carbonaria and Tetragonula hockingsi) from Australia. The findings reveal moisture content across all samples ranges from 24.9% to 30.8% (w/w), electrical conductivity from 1.02 to 2.15 mS/cm, pH levels between 3.57 and 6.54, soluble solids from 69.2 to 75.1 °Brix, trehalulose concentrations from 6.20 to 38.2 g/100 g, fructose levels from 7.79 to 33.4 g/100 g, and glucose content from 3.36 to 26.8 g/100 g. Sucrose was undetectable in all investigated samples. In a sensory analysis involving 30 participants, Australian stingless bee honey was perceived as having a more pronounced sourness compared with New Zealand Manuka honey. The study reveals considerable variability in the composition of Australian stingless bee honey, influenced by factors such as floral availability, geographical origin, and time of harvest. It also demonstrates the presence of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in stingless bee honey, underlining their potential as a natural source of antioxidants. All investigated samples contain trehalulose, which supports the findings of other recent studies that propose this unusual disaccharide as a marker compound of stingless bee honey.

Stingless bee honey: Nutritional, physicochemical, phytochemical and antibacterial validation properties against wound bacterial isolates.

With the rise of AMR the management of wound infections are becoming a big challenge. This has been attributed to the fact that most wound bacterial isolates have been found to possess various virulence factors like enzymes, toxins & biofilms production. Therefore, need for discovery of new lead compounds is paramount as such factors make these microbes to be resistant to already existing arsenal of antibiotics or even the immune system. This study aimed at documenting the nutritional, physicochemical, phytochemical and antibacterial properties of stingless bee honey. Isolation and characterization of bacterial isolates from 34 samples obtained from wounds of outpatients and surgical wards of Nakuru County Referral Hospital, Kenya was done. Various bacterial isolates (43) were isolated Staphylococcus aureus (34.8%) being predominant, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (27.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (23.3%) and Escherichia coli (14.0%). A total of 36 out of the total isolates were genotypically characterized using molecular techniques detecting the prevalence of the following virulence genes; 16 srRNA (756 bp), hla (229 bp), cnf1 (426 bp), cnf2 (543 bp), hlyA (1011 bp), rmpA (461 bp), lasL (600 bp), gyrB (411 bp), khe (77 bp) and magA (128 bp). An assessment of the in vitro antibacterial activity of 26 stingless bee honey samples collected from their cerumen egg-shaped pots in Marigat sub-County, Baringo County, Kenya was done. Antibacterial properties of the stingless bee honey was done with varying susceptibility patterns being observed at different concentrations of honey impregnated discs (10x104, 20x104, 50x104 and 75x104 ml μg/ ml) giving mean inhibition diameters of 18.23 ± 0.4 mm (Staphylococcus aureus), 17.49 ± 0.3 mm (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), 16.05 ± 0.6 mm (Klebsiella pneumoniae) and 10.19 ± 0.5 mm (Escherichia coli) with a mean range of 14.54 ± 2.0 mm to 17.58 ± 3 mm. Higher susceptibility to honey was recorded across all the bacterial isolates compared to conventional antibiotics while the mean MIC and MBC of the honey were recorded at 62.5 ml μg/ ml and 250 ml μg/ ml respectively. Control bacterial isolates Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 27736 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27858 were used in the analysis. The stingless bee honey was found to be rich in various nutritive components like sugar (89.85 ± 5.07 g/100 g) and moisture (81.75 ± 10.35 mg/g) with a significant difference of P <0.05 as the main antibacterial components. Additionally, the stingless honey did possess water soluble vitamins, proteins and minerals of which potassium was the most dominant one. In regard to phytochemicals, on our preliminary analysis phenolic, flavonoid and carotenoid compounds were found to be present with phenolic compounds being the most dominant one. Stingless bee honey from Marigat, has antimicrobial properties which could be attributed to the rich phytochemicals it possesses and its physicochemical properties in addition to its high nutritive value.

Physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory properties of stingless bee honey from Argentina

The physicochemical parameters, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties were determined in stingless bee honeys from two bee species and different phytogeographic regions of the Chaco province (Argentina). All honeys showed similar moisture content, colour, and hydroxymethyl furfural concentration. The samples from the oriental estuaries showed the lowest free acidity, ash content, and electrical conductivity. The honey produced by Tetragonisca fiebrigi (Schwarz) had a higher ash content than honeys produced by Scaptotrigona jujuyensis (Schrottky). However, the electrical conductivity of honeys produced by both bee species was similar. The HPLC sugar analysis, total polyphenol and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity (ABTS) showed no significant differences between the different geographic zones or bee species. The wood aroma and sweet taste were chosen as the best sensory descriptors of the honeys. The results of the multivariate techniques used showed that is not possible to classify honeys according to its geographical origin or bee species. Most of the honey samples meet the required microbiological standards and could be considered safe for consumption.

Antioxidant and antibacterial properties of stingless bee (Meliponula spp.) honey from the northern highlands of Tanzania, in comparison with Apis mellifera honey

Meliponiculture is an emerging practice in Africa where beekeeping is dominated with the management of the honey bees, Apis mellifera. Nevertheless, communities in the northern highlands of Tanzania have a long history of managing stingless bees for their honey which has putative medicinal value. The current study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of honey samples from two stingless bee species, namely Meliponula (Axestotrigona) ferruginea and Meliponula (Axestotrigona) togoensis, in comparison with A. mellifera honey. Physicochemical properties were also determined to assess the quality of the studied honey samples. The honey samples conformed with the regional quality standards for moisture content, free acidity and HMF for both stingless bee and A. mellifera honey. Stingless bee honey exhibited stronger antioxidant potency, displaying higher mean values of total flavonoid (54.12 – 56.40 mg QE/100 g) and phenolic compounds (81.92 – 87.56 mg GAE/100 g), DPPH radical scavenging activity (65.81 – 68.40%) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (109.78 – 126.64 µmol Fe (II)/100 g) compared to A. mellifera honey (33.17 mg QE/100 g, 61.13 mg GAE/100 g, 41.44%, 65.00 µmol Fe (II)/100 g, respectively). Additionally, stingless bee honey demonstrated higher inhibitory effect against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella typhi, with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 0.16 – 5% v/v, compared to 2.5 – 20% v/v for A. mellifera honey. These findings highlight the distinct bioactive properties of stingless bee honey and validate its applications in traditional therapy. More studies are encouraged to elucidate specific bioactive ingredients in stingless bee honey to further substantiate its medicinal potency.

Traditional knowledge and actions of the Pisel Nek-mej (Scaptotrigona mexicana) stingless bee honey production in Cuetzálan, Puebla

Objective: During the last few years, the production of honey from stingless bees has become significant, as a result of its therapeutic properties. However, its production and commercialization are limited by the low yield per colony and its high sale price. This study seeks to recover the lore and actions that a group of producers from Cuetzálan, Puebla, Mexico has about the production of honey from the Scaptotrigona mexicana species of stingless bees. The objective was to collect information about the handling, production, and commercialization of tis bee species, as well as the challenges that producers face in the Cuetzálan region. Design/Methodology/Approach: This research was carried out using a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the information. The participants were chosen using the snowball sampling technique, contacting stingless bee honey producers in Cuetzálan, Puebla, Mexico. Results: The lore about the handling of the stingless bees is passed on from generation to generation. This traditional handling is understood as a cultural symbol. This type of honey is renowned for its medicinal properties; however, its production is scarce, and the resulting product is very expensive. Consequently, the theft and adulteration of honey has become a major problem, creating mistrust among consumers. Study Limitations/Implications: More producers should be interviewed, and additional proof of the handling processes used to identify adulteration should be gathered. This information would be used to develop recommendations that could be applied in other producing regions of the country. Findings/Conclusions: The social and scientific recognition of the properties of stingless bee honey shows the importance of adopting innovations; however, including organizational processes to improve the commercialization channels and to minimize unfair honey production practices is also very important.

The effects of bee species and vegetation on the antioxidant properties of honeys produced by Afrotropical stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini)

Stingless bee honey is widely utilized as a traditional medicine in tropical and subtropical regions. The rich diversity of stingless bees and floral resources in the African tropics presents an opportunity for the production of honeys with diverse therapeutic properties. This study investigated the influence of bee species and vegetation on the antioxidant properties of stingless bee honey. Honey samples were collected from six species of Afrotropical stingless bees in six different vegetation zones of Tanzania, and tested for phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity. Our findings demonstrate that the antioxidant properties of stingless bee honey were influenced by both bee species and vegetation, with the former exhibiting a stronger effect. Honeys produced by different stingless bee species varied significantly in all of the assayed parameters, whereas honey samples from different vegetation zones differed in 80% of the parameters. Further, there was a clear separation of honey samples based on bee species on the non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and principal component analysis (PCA) plots which suggests that the antioxidant properties can be used as markers for discriminating honeys produced by different bee species. The studied stingless bee species across different vegetation zones produced honeys with remarkable phenolic content (46.80–365.17 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoid content (27.49–210.83 mg QE/100 g), vitamin C (7.42–60.50 mg/100 g), radical scavenging activity (32.75–92.50%) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (68.11–221.23 μmol Fe (II)/100 g). Stingless bee honey presents a promising niche for pharmaceutical research and innovation, particularly for Dactylurina schmidti honey which demonstrated exceptional levels of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. We encourage future studies to investigate the biologically active components in honeys produced by Afrotropical stingless bees, paving the way for potential applications of stingless bee honey in clinical therapy.

The antibacterial properties of stingless bee honey in Malaysia and its effects as food preservative

Nowadays consumers are more anxious about the usage of artificial preservatives as it poses a number of serious health risks. Thus, the demands of using natural preservatives in food are on the rise. The knowledge on the preservative effect of Malaysian stingless bee honey is limited. Hence, the objectives of this research are to evaluate the ability of stingless bee honey to inhibit the growth of bacteria and to investigate the effectiveness of stingless bee honey as a natural food preservative. This research was conducted by characterizing honey based on physicochemical analysis including pH, moisture content and sugar profile (glucose, fructose and sucrose), and examining the antimicrobial properties of stingless bee honey. The antibacterial property of stingless bee honey and commercial honey was examined by agar well diffusion where the commercial honey demonstrated a lower antibacterial property [Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)] due to processing and storage conditions. Three samples of food which are milk, bread and commercial sambal hitam (spicy black sauce mainly made from bilimbi, Averrhoa bilimbi) were selected to evaluate the preservative nature of honey by comparing the microbial growth in all food samples with and without the presence of honey. By evaluating the turbidity of food samples at 550nm, the result showed that microbial growth count of samples with stingless bee honey is lower compared to samples with commercial honey and without honey. Besides that, stingless bee honey successfully inhibited 53% of bacterial growth and it was discovered that stingless bee honey was more effective against the gram - negative bacteria. Thus, due to the antibacterial properties, stingless bee honey can be used as a natural food preservative.

Methods of the Dehydration Process and Its Effect on the Physicochemical Properties of Stingless Bee Honey: A Review.

Stingless bee honey (SLBH) has a high moisture content, making it more prone to fermentation and leading to honey spoilage. Dehydration of SLBH after harvest is needed to reduce the moisture content. This review compiles the available data on the dehydration methods for SLBH and their effect on its physicochemical properties. This review discovered the dehydration process of vacuum drying at 60 °C and 5% moisture setting, freeze-drying at -54 °C and 5% moisture setting for 24 h, and using a food dehydrator at 55 °C for 18 h could extract &gt;80% water content in SLBH. As a result, these methods could decrease moisture content to &lt;17% and water activity to &lt;0.6. These will prevent the fermentation process and microorganism growth. The hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) contents remain within the permissible standard of &lt;40 mg/kg. The total phenolic content increased after dehydration by these methods. Therefore, dehydration of SLBH is recommended to increase its benefits.

Flavonoids and Phenylethylamides Are Pivotal Factors Affecting the Antimicrobial Properties of Stingless Bee Honey.

Despite the recent approval of stingless bee honey to the Argentine Food Code, there are still many gaps in information. Likely, the main reason for this is that multiple ecological and chemical factors influence their production and antimicrobial properties. This work combined metabolomic, microbiological, and physicochemical analyses to characterize the honey ofTetragonisca fiebrigifrom Northeastern Argentina. The antimicrobial activity tests showed that honey samples (n = 24) inhibited some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at different sensitivity levels. Furthermore, samples selected for their high bioactivity revealed crystallizations, a positive correlation with fungal growth, and the presence of flavonoids. The major polyphenols annotated by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and supported by metabolomic tools were quercetin 3,4'-dimethyl ether, pachypodol, jaceoside, irigenin trimethyl ether, corymboside, chrysoeriol 7-neohesperidoside, and corymboside. In contrast, samples missing antimicrobial activity did not crystallize, lacked flavonoids, and were enriched in phenylethylamides. Based on these findings, we discuss the significance of flavonoids and phenylethylamides on honey's antimicrobial activity and food quality and how they may indeed reflect essential parameters of the hive, such as microbial balance and eubiosis.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON THE QUALITY OF STINGLESS BEE HONEY (Heterotrigona itama) DURING STORAGE

Bee can be categorised as either honeybee or a stingless bee. Both produce honey, which is beneficial for human consumption because it is rich in nutrients. However, there is no study done on its quality affected by packaging materials during storage. This study evaluated the physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey (Heterotrigona itama) when stored in different packaging materials, clear and amber glass bottles, and clear and amber plastic bottles, stored at room temperature for three months. Honey was harvested from the pots to test its quality after some time. The physicochemical analyses were colour L*, a* and b*, pH value, total titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, ashes, moisture content and water activity. During three months of storage, none of the storage materials showed a significant difference from each other. If the honey storage is extended, honey stored in amber glass will give better quality at the end of the storage day due to the consistent parameter such as antioxidant activity, which is considered one of the valuable components in stingless bee honey.

A Review on Recent Progress of Stingless Bee Honey and Its Hydrogel-Based Compound for Wound Care Management.

Stingless bee honey has a distinctive flavor and sour taste compared to Apis mellifera honey. Currently, interest in farming stingless bees is growing among rural residents to meet the high demand for raw honey and honey-based products. Several studies on stingless bee honey have revealed various therapeutic properties for wound healing applications. These include antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing properties related to wound healing. The development of stingless bee honey for wound healing applications, such as incorporation into hydrogels, has attracted researchers worldwide. As a result, the effectiveness of stingless bee honey against wound infections can be improved in the future to optimize healing rates. This paper reviewed the physicochemical and therapeutic properties of stingless bee honey and its efficacy in treating wound infection, as well as the incorporation of stingless bee honey into hydrogels for optimized wound dressing.

Stingless bee honey: An overview of health benefits and main market challenges.

This review aimed to evaluate the nutraceutical and medicinal effects of stingless bee honey (SBH) by bringing a discussion focused on the main known in vitro/in vivo health-promoting effects. SBH has a high-water content, slight sweetness, acidic flavor, fluid texture, and slow crystallization. The type and concentration of phenolic compounds and consequent antioxidant activity were mainly associated with the floral sources, geographical location, bee species, and processing steps. SBH has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial (against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms), anti-diabetic, and skin aging delay activities in in vitro tests. It has also shown antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects, can protect from injuries caused by dyslipidemia, possess anti-inflammatory activity against chronic subclinical systemic inflammation and anti-diabetic properties, and can control and prevent Staphylococcus aureus infection on infected wound healings in in vivo tests (rats). However, clinical trials are crucial for the probation of the medicinal and nutraceutical properties of SBH. Despite this, there are still no general norms and/or quality standards for this type of honey. The information summarized in this review is important to add value to this little-consumed food, providing helpful information to spread knowledge about its benefits, assisting future studies, and raising perspectives for its recognition as a functional food. Furthermore, it may encourage the creation of standard quality for the production and marketing of SBH. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Previous studies have already summarized the chemical profile and physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey (SBH) and its potential health properties. However, no study has performed an overview of the potential nutraceutical and medicinal effects of SBH, presenting results from in vitro and in vivo investigations. Therefore, this review is the first study to overview the potential nutraceutical and medicinal effects of SBH, showing results of in vitro/in vivo health-promoting effects. The bioactivity of SBH is related to bee species and floral sources. The SBH has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant in vitro activity. It has also shown hypolipidemic effects and protection from injuries caused by dyslipidemia in rats.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Indo-Malayan stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) honey from different seasons and distribution of flowers

The quality of honey produced by stingless bees can be affected by a variety of factors. Different seasons may have an influence on stingless bee behaviour while different flower sources may affect the properties of stingless bee honey. Thus, this study aimed to determine the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of stingless bee honey from different multifloral sources collected during dry and rainy seasons. Honey was collected from hives placed in two different areas with multifloral (area A and B). The difference between these areas was area A only planted with two types of flowers (with stevia) and area B with more than two flowers. Pollen in the honey samples was identified to confirm the seasonal variations. The antioxidative potential of the honey samples was determined using total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH and FRAP assays and total carotenoid content (TCC). Antimicrobial properties were analysed using well diffusion method (mm) against the foodborne pathogens Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. The results revealed that honey harvested during the dry season showed higher antioxidant properties compared to those harvested in the rainy season. The highest antioxidant activities were measured in honey samples taken from area B. Nevertheless, honey harvested in both seasons showed antimicrobial properties against all tested food pathogens, with the dry season samples showing the highest inhibition. Surprisingly, only honey from area A present showed no antimicrobial effect against E. coli. This study showed that the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of multifloral stingless bee honey are strongly affected by seasonal differences and the distribution of the flowering plant

The Composition and Functional Properties of Stingless Bee Honey: A Review

Honey produced by the stingless bee were use since ancient times in almost every continent as food or for medicinal purposes. The usage of stingless bee honey proceeds from its composition and functional properties. Stingless bee honey has been reported to have many medicinal properties such as antiseptic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. Since early 20th century, various studies on the composition and functional properties of honey have been conducted worldwide and findings were tremendous. Stingless bee honey reported to have hundreds of bioactive compound. However, the composition and functional properties of stingless bee honey is differs depending on the source of honey; either influenced by the location of hive or by the species of stingless bee itself. This review provides the information on the composition and functional properties of stingless bee honey reported worldwide. The information gathered is very important to understand and to explain about the variability of nutritional composition in honey and how it might influence the value of stingless bee honeys as medicinal food.

Effect of drying on physicochemical and functional properties of stingless bee honey

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of drying on the functional quality of stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) honey. The honey was subjected to vacuum drying (40–60°C), vacuum evaporation (40–60°C), and freeze drying, respectively, to achieve a standardized moisture content. The dehydrated honey seemed to have a significant (p < .05) darker color (lower L* and higher b* values) as compared to the raw honey. Results suggested that the dryness of the dehydrated honey has significantly affected its antioxidant capacity except oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. It seems vacuum drying at 60°C for 2.2 hr produced honey with higher total phenolic (300.24 ± 6.81 mg GAE/kg) and flavonoid contents (273.83 ± 2.52 mg QE/kg), which were also characterized by the highest 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) (371.34 ± 2.57 µmol TE/100 g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (344.20 ± 6.81 µmol Fe2+/100 g). Rosmarinic acid and quercetin are the most dominant phenolic compounds found in the dehydrated honey. In conclusion, vacuum drying could be an efficient way to improve honey physicochemical and functional stability. Practical applications Stingless bee honey production is a new emerging industry in tropical and subtropical countries. The keeping quality of stingless bee honey is limited due to its nature of high moisture content. Thus, removal of excessive moisture from the honey is necessary to maintain the product quality and stability particularly during handling and storage. The application of low-pressure dehydration processes can aid the evaporation process of water from stingless bee honey. The findings of the present work provide a better insight toward the effect of low-pressure dehydration on the physicochemical quality and functional properties of stingless bee honey in addition to extend its shelf life.

Melissopalynological Study, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant Properties of Heterotrigona itama Honey from Johor, Malaysia.

Six honey samples produced by the stingless bee Heterotrigona itama were analyzed for their plant sources, phenolic compositions, and antioxidant activities. The honey samples were acetolyzed and identified microscopically, and the phenolic compounds were identified by using HPLC-DAD. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using three different assays (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS) by spectrophotometry. The melissopalynological analysis showed that 26 pollen types from 14 plant families were identified in the honey. Cocos nucifera and Rhizophora mucronata presented as predominant pollen. A total of 6 phenolic acids such as catechin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin, protocatechuic acid, p-coumaric acid, and rutin were identified. Rhizophora mucronata honey possessed the highest antioxidant activity in all assays. The result showed the influence of plant sources on the phenolic compounds and the antioxidant properties of stingless bee honey. These findings could be significant contributions for the sustainability of stingless bee industry as well as to promote Malaysian stingless bee honey worldwide.

Physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey in comparison with Apis honey

Physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey in comparison with <i>Apis</i> honey

Variations of physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey from different botanical origin in state of Johor, Malaysia

Physicochemical parameters analysis was used in the identification of varietal honey from different botanical origin. Botanical origin is one of the important parameter to be known as a quality control to meet the legislated mandatory requirement during commercialization. This study assessed the influence of the botanical origin on the physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey or known as kelulut honey in state of Johor, Malaysia. The honey samples were collected in six different botanical origins namely acacia,coconut, mangrove, starfruit, multifruits and multiflowers produced by bee species of Heterotrigona itama. Tualang honey from bee species of Apis dorsata was included as a positive control. The physicochemical properties in terms of pH, moisture, ash content, electrical conductivity (EC) and colour intensity were measured. The result obtained revealed an average pH (3.40 ± 0.15), moisture (28.9 ± 2.69 g/100g), ash (0.37 ± 0.27 g/100g), electrical conductivity (0.11 ± 0.07) mS/cm, and colour intensity (692 ± 187) mAU. In general, the raw honey from state of Johor presented satisfactory quality according to the result obtained help in honey identification and authenticity as well as to sustain meliponiculture industry in Malaysia.

Kajian fizikokimia terhadap Trigon sp. Madu Lebah Kelulut di Daerah Johor

Johor as one of the states of Malaysia is a good geographic location for meliponiculture activity. In this study, ten samples of stingless bee honey from each regions of Johor and one sample obtained from Institute Bioproduct Development, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai were analyzed for the physicochemical properties of stingless bee honey. The physicochemical analyses were including moisture, total soluble solids, ash, pH, free acidity, conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content, protein, carbohydrate, fat, dietary fibre, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Trigona sp. sample from Kluang have the highest value of phenolic content (778.23 ± 2.011 mg GAE/100 g) while Trigona sp. sample from Mersing have the highest value of flavonoid content (194.98 ± 0.350 mg RE/100 g). Among eleven samples tested for radical scavenging activity, Trigona sp. sample from Kota Tinggi have the highest scavenging activity (23.37 ± 0.36 mg/ml), but the value of HMF content exceeded the limit of Malaysian standard for stingless bee honey. All parameters were significantly different (p &lt; 0.01) except for ash. This study showed a strong correlation between moisture and acidity (r = 0.601). However, low correlation was obtained between TPC and TFC with DPPH radical scavenging activity (r = -0.235, 0.011). The data obtained from this study could help for a better subsequent of Malaysian stingless bee honey industry.