Molecular identification of honey entomological origin based on bee mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI gene sequences

•FINS method was first applied for genetic identification of honey origin.•The method was applied for Apis and Trigona bees types producing respective honeys.•Both 300 bp 16S rRNA and COI gene markers were used to identify honey origin.•Trigona stingless bee honey is significantly distinguishable from Apis spp. honeys.

The increasing recognition and production of stingless bee honey has raised the needs to develop rapid, sensitive and accurate methodologies for honey identification through bees' species from the DNA of bees present in honey. Genetic identification of raw honeys produced by different bee species from Malaysia was performed based on mitochondrial DNA sequences and phylogenetic analysis by means of forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) technique. The 300 bp of mitochondrial large subunit ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene region and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene region were the gene markers used to classify and identify honey produced by Apis honey bees and Trigona stingless bees. The genetic identities of honey origin from Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, and Heterotrigona itama were accurately identified. Kelulut honey sourced from the stingless bee was distinguishable from other Apis type of honeys in phylogenetic analyses. This FINS technique is a specific and reliable method for identification of honey origin via its bee source that can be used to overcome the issue of false declaration of honey origin and mislabelling.