Research ArticlePhenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of minerals of stingless bee honey (Meliponinae)

- Twenty-six phenolic compounds were found in stingless bee honeys.
- Honey of stingless bees has remarkable antioxidant activity.
- The minerals of stingless bee honey are highly bioaccessible.
- Absence of heavy metals in stingless honey.

The phenolic composition, antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of the minerals of thirteen honey samples from nine different species of stingless bees (Meliponinae) were determined in this study. Twenty-six phenolic compounds were found. The major phenolic compounds were salicylic acid (8.02-94.8 μg 100 g1), p-coumaric acid (4.54-64.3 μg 100 g1), naringin (4.00-32.0 μg 100 g1) and taxifolin (12.0-1920 μg 100 g1). Moreover, the presence of mandelic acid, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, aromadendrin, isoquercetrin, eriodictyol, vanillin, umbelliferone, syringaldehyde, sinapaldehyde and carnosol in stingless bee honeys was reported for the first time. The study also states that the abundant minerals in the samples were potassium (263-4980 μg g1), followed by calcium (88.7-138 μg g1), sodium (12.7-261 μg g1) and magnesium (25.9-231 μg g1). The estimation of the minerals bioaccessibility demonstrated high fractions (73.62-107.6% of the total concentrations). Stingless bee honey has considerable concentrations of phenolic compounds and macro minerals (K, Ca, Na and Mg) as well as a related antioxidant capacity, suggesting a source of natural antioxidants.