Influence of stingless bee genus (Scaptotrigona and Melipona) on the mineral content, physicochemical and microbiological properties of honey

Abstract

Stingless bees, important pollinating insects in the tropics, produce honey whose unique quality features differentiate their origin. The feasibility of multivariate data analysis for quality discrimination of stingless bee honey from different genera (Melipona bicolor, quadrifasciata, marginata and Scaptotrigona bipunctata) by mineral content, physicochemical and microbiological properties were investigated. The principal component analysis explained 72.12% of the total variance of the data, and the separation into two main groups in a scatter plot was observed. Group 2 was formed by Scaptotrigona genus, that showed the highest values of pH, ash, and soluble solids. Potassium was the most abundant mineral

Impact of genus (Geotrigona,Melipona,Scaptotrigona) in the1H-NMR organic profile and authenticity test of honey processed in cerumen pots by stingless bees in Ecuador

“…Melipona and Scaptotrigona pot-honeys were separated by discriminant analysis of ten quality factors on Venezuelan species using only reducing sugars, sucrose, diastase activity and nitrogen, after factor reduction (Vit et al, 1998). Recently (Ávila et al, 2019) confirmed two distinctive clusters of Brazilian Melipona and Scaptotrigona honey by PCA of normalized mineral content and physicochemical analysis (moisture, Aw, electrical conductivity, total acidity, °BRIX, pH, colour, ash and total minerals). On a botanical approach, two clusters of Heterotrigona itama honeydew and blossom honey were revealed by PCA of physicochemical (ash content, hydrogen peroxide, free acidity, total mineral elements, K, Mg, Ca, total phenolics), and antioxidant (ferric reducing power) parameters in Malaysia (Ng et al, 2021).…”

Physicochemical Properties of Honey from Contract Beekeepers, Street Vendors and Branded Honey in Sabah, Malaysia

“…On the other hand, the EC of honey from CB is higher than that of stingless bees, as in Brazil ( Melipona spp. ; 0.15–0.66 mS/cm; see Ávila et al . 2019 ) and China ( Lepidotrigona flavibasis ; 0.54 mS/cm; see Wu et al .…”

A Comprehensive Review of Stingless Bee Products: Phytochemical Composition and Beneficial Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Pollen

“…Moisture content in stingless bee honey is reported to be higher than European honeybee honey, which is contributed by the benefit of abundant rainfall and high humidity in a rainforest [20]. Several reports that comply with the Malaysian Standards and those proposed by Vit et al [15] are from the Tetrigona apicalis (Smith, 1857), Tetrigona melanoleuca, Melipona marginata, Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona flavolineata (Friese, 1900), Tetrigona binghami and Homotrigona fimbriata (Smith, 1857) species [11,19,20,23].…”

“…The mineral content that correlates to ash content is due to the composition of the source of plant nectar from which the nectarbearing plant absorbs minerals from the soil [7]. Some of the reports of ash content that comply with all standards are from the species Geniotrigona thoracica [19,21,25,26], Scaptotrigona mexicana (Lepeletier, 1836) [27], Heterotrigina itama [20,26], Lepidotrigona doipaensis (Schwarz, 1939), Lepidotrigona flavibasis (Cockerell, 1929), Lepidotrigona terminata, Lisotrigona furva (Engel, 2000), Tetragonilla collina (Smith, 1857) [11], Melipona bicolor (Lepeletier, 1836), Melipona quadrifasciata, Melipona marginata, and Scaptotrigona bipunctata [23].…”

“…According to the IHC Standards, electrical conductivity should not be more than 0.8 mS/cm, whereas Vit et al [15] and the Malaysian Standards do not define any threshold. Some of the reports that comply with the standard are from the species Scaptotrigona Mexicana [27], Geniotrigona thoracica [19,25], Heterotrigona Bakeri [19], Lepidotrigona terminata [25], Tetragonula laeviceps [25,28], and Scaptotrigona bipunctata [9,23].…”