Physicochemical Parameters, Antioxidant Capacity, and Antimicrobial Activity of Honeys from Tropical Forests of Colombia: <i>Apis mellifera</i> and <i>Melipona eburnea</i>
Isabel Cristina Zapata-Vahos,
Juan Camilo Henao-Rojas,
Diana Paola Yepes-Betancur,
Daniela Marín-Henao,
Carlos Eduardo Giraldo Sánchez,
Samir Julián Calvo-Cardona,
Dorely David,
Mario Quijano-Abril
Affiliations
Isabel Cristina Zapata-Vahos
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Grupo de Investigación Atención Primaria en Salud, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Juan Camilo Henao-Rojas
Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria–Agrosavia, Centro de Investigación La Selva, Kilómetro 7, Vía a Las Palmas, Vereda Llanogrande, Rionegro 054048, Colombia
Diana Paola Yepes-Betancur
Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje, SENA, Grupo de Investigación en Innovación y Agroindustria, Centro de la Innovación, la Agroindustria y la Aviación, Cra 48 # 49-62, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Daniela Marín-Henao
Grupo de Investigación en Estudios Florísticos, Facultad de Ingenierías, Herbario, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Carlos Eduardo Giraldo Sánchez
Grupo de Investigación Sanidad Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Samir Julián Calvo-Cardona
Zootecnista, PhD Data Plus CIC, Pereira 660008, Colombia
Dorely David
Tecnoparque Nodo Rionegro, Centro de la Innovación La Agroindustria y la Aviación, Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje—SENA, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Mario Quijano-Abril
Grupo de Investigación en Estudios Florísticos, Facultad de Ingenierías, Herbario, Universidad Católica de Oriente, Rionegro 054040, Colombia
Honey is a functional food used worldwide and recognized for its multiple health benefits. In the present study, the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of honey produced by two species of bees (Melipona eburnea and Apis mellifera) in two seasons were evaluated. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of honey against three bacterial strains was studied. The quality of honey analyzed by LDA (linear discriminant analysis) showed four clusters mediated by the interaction, the bee species, and the collection season resulting from a multivariate function of discrimination. The physicochemical properties of the honey produced by A. mellifera met the requirements of the Codex Alimentarius, while the M. eburnea honey had moisture values outside the established ranges of the Codex. Antioxidant activity was higher in the honey of A. mellifera, and both kinds of honey showed inhibitory activity against S. typhimurium ATCC 14028 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 9118. E. coli ATCC 25922 showed resistance to the analyzed honey.
