Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of New Honey Varietals

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 20; no. 3; p. 2458
• Main Authors: Kunat-Budzyńska, Magdalena, Rysiak, Anna, Wiater, Adrian, Grąz, Marcin, Andrejko, Mariola, Budzyński, Michał, Bryś, Maciej S, Sudziński, Marcin, Tomczyk, Michał, Gancarz, Marek, Rusinek, Robert, Ptaszyńska, Aneta A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 30.01.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal activity; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; Bacteria; Bactericidal activity; Bees; Caffeic acid; Cancer; Chemical composition; Cinnamic acid; Coliforms; E coli; Enzymes; Escherichia coli; Flavonoids; Fungi; Fungicides; Glucose; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Honey; Honeydew; Lysozyme; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microorganisms; Molecular weight; Multidrug resistance; Peptides; Phenolic acids; Phenols; Proteins; Prunus spinosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Rapeseed; Staphylococcus aureus; Yeasts; antifungal; antibacterial; lysozyme-like activity; honey; hydrogen peroxide; phenolic acids
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032458

Due to a widespread occurrence of multidrug-resistant pathogenic strains of bacteria, there is an urgent need to look for antimicrobial substances, and honey with its antimicrobial properties is a very promising substance. In this study, we examined for the first time antimicrobial properties of novel varietal honeys, i.e., plum, rapeseed, Lime, , honeydew, sunflower, willow, and multifloral-P ( L.), multifloral-AP ( L., L.), multifloral-Sa ( sp.), multifloral-Br ( L.). Their antimicrobial activity was tested against bacteria (such as , , , ), yeasts (such as and ) and mold fungi (such as ). In tested honeys, phenolic acids constituted one of the most important groups of compounds with antimicrobial properties. Our study found phenolic acids to occur in greatest amount in honeydew honey (808.05 µg GAE/g), with the highest antifungal activity aiming at . It was caffeic acid that was discovered in the greatest amount (in comparison with all phenolic acids tested). It was found in the highest amount in such honeys as phacelia-356.72 µg/g, multifloral (MSa) and multifloral (MBr)-318.9 µg/g. The highest bactericidal activity against was found in multifloral honeys MSa and MBr. Additionally, the highest amount of syringic acid and cinnamic acid was identified in rapeseed honey. Multifloral honey (MAP) showed the highest bactericidal activity against , and multifloral honey (MSa) against . Additionally, multifloral honey (MBr) was effective against and . Compounds in honeys, such as lysozyme-like and phenolic acids, i.e., coumaric, caffeic, cinnamic and syringic acids, played key roles in the health-benefit properties of honeys tested in our study.