Australian Honeypot Ant (Camponotus inflatus) Honey—A Comprehensive Analysis of the Physiochemical Characteristics, Bioactivity, and HPTLC Profile of a Traditional Indigenous Australian Food

Abstract

Despite its cultural and nutritional importance for local Aboriginal people, the unusual insect honey produced by Western Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus) has to date been rarely investigated. This study reports on the honey’s physicochemical properties, its total phenolic, major sugars and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural contents, and its antioxidant activities. The honey’s color value is 467.63 mAU/63.39 mm Pfund, it has a pH of 3.85, and its electric conductivity is 449.71 µSiemens/cm. Its Brix value is 67.00, corresponding to a 33% moisture content. The total phenolics content is 19.62 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g honey. Its antioxidant activity measured using the DPPH* (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing–antioxidant power) assays is 1367.67 µmol Trolox/kg and 3.52 mmol Fe+2/kg honey, respectively. Major sugars in the honey are glucose and fructose, with a fructose-to-glucose ratio of 0.85. Additionally, unidentified sugar was found in minor quantities.

Edible black ant Smith (Carebara vidua) as human food – A systematic review

“…It is remarkable that several species of Camponotus such as Camponotus maculatus and Camponotus pennsylvanicus have been employed as traditional remedy in Burkina Faso, West Africa and India (Mazurkiewicz et al, 2016;Schrader et al, 2016;Salyer, 2018;Buczkowski, 2019;Ouango et al, 2022;Siddiqui et al, 2023b), whereas, Camponotus inflatus is consumed by Aboriginal Australian in Australia as part of their diet for the source of natural sugar. They mix the ants with salads which is responsible for sweet sour flavour in their dish (Faast and Weinstein, 2020;Islam et al, 2022;Dong et al, 2023). In Neotropical countries (i.e.…”

“…The consumption style of edible insects in the rural market is dominantly in the form of raw, fried, roasted, smoked, and salted. However, in recent times, edible insects, particularly black ants have evolved to shelf stable edible insect-based products such as canned edible insects, flour products, snacks, confectioneries, alcoholic beverages, fat-based products and many more (Tao and Li, 2018;van Huis, 2018;Islam et al, 2022;van Huis and Rumpold, 2023). Moreover, Pali-Schöll et al (2019) reported that edible insects and its products are recognised as novel food and also a promising alternative food source which gained substantial global attention due to its excellent nutritional and therapeutic qualities.…”

Edible ants in Vietnam: Identification and indigenous knowledge

“…Various species of Camponotus, including Camponotus maculatus and C. pennsylvanicus, have been utilized as traditional remedies in Burkina Faso, West Africa, and India (Mazurkiewicz et al 2016;Schrader et al 2016;Buczkowski 2019). Furthermore, C. inflatus is consumed by Aboriginal Australians in Australia as part of their diet for its natural sugar content (Islam et al 2022).…”

Unique antimicrobial activity in honey from the Australian honeypot ant (Camponotus inflatus)

“…One such example is the Australian honeypot ant, Camponotus inflatus . As a rare source of natural sugar in an arid environment, honeypot ants are highly prized as a bush food by Indigenous Australians and have a long history of nutritional and cultural significance ( Islam et al, 2022 ). The Honey Ant Dreaming site is located in Central Australia and is shared by all Indigenous groups in the area ( Jurra, 2000 ).…”

“…Honeypot ants worldwide are reported to source nectar from a variety of floral sources depending on availability and seasonality ( Hölldobler, 1981 ). In Australia, Camponotus inflatus is thought to have a preferential association with mulga trees and the aphids that live on them, though they are reported to gather nectar from a variety of other floral sources at different times of the year including black corkwood and native fuchsia flowers ( Conway, 1991 ; Islam et al, 2022 ). Mulga trees possess nectar-secreting plant glands known as extrafloral nectaries that attract honeypot ants, who in turn protect the plant against herbivores ( Buckley, 1982 ).…”