Physicochemical properties and microbial qualities of honey produced by a stingless bee ( Meliponula beccarii L.) in the Oromia region, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study is aimed at determining the physicochemical and microbiological quality of stingless bee honey (Meliponula beccarii) collected in potential areas in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Thirty-nine honey samples from underground soils were collected. The findings of the investigation indicated that the mean values of physicochemical properties for stingless bee honey samples were: moisture content (30.69 ± 0.29%), pH value (3.30 ± 0.03), free acidity (92.39 ± 4.45 meq/kg), ash content (0.16 ± 0.01%), electrical conductivity (0.44 ± 0.2 mS/cm), HMF (6.58 ± 0.36 mg/kg), fructose (36.48 ± 0.54%), glucose (27.67 ± 0.43%), reducing sugar (64.15 ± 0.75%) sucrose (1.24 ± 0.18%) and maltose content (1.2 ± 0.18%). The honey sample studied from Meliponulla beccarii was mostly characterized as having a light amber color (50%). Honey produced by stingless bees is distinguished from Apis mellifera honey by having a lower level of sugar, a higher amount of moisture, and free acidity. There were 2.55 × 104 to 1.9 × 103 CFU/mL of Aerobic Mesophiles, 1.68 × 104 to 9 × 102 CFU/mL of yeast, and 1.8 × 103 to 2 × 102 CFU/mL of mold in the Meliponulla beccarii honey sample. Staphylococcus species could only be detected in a sample taken from the Guduru area; however, an aerobic spore-forming bacteria was undetectable in all stingless bee samples. This suggested that there may have been cross-contamination from primary and secondary sources during pre-harvesting and post-harvest handling. Specific quality specifications must be established to promote commercialization since the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of stingless bee honey differ from those of A. mellifera.