Antimicrobial an antioxidant activity of selected Polish herbhoneys

•Quality of herbhoneys is comparable to natural honeys.•Herbhoneys exhibit higher radical scavenging activity (DPPH) than natural honeys.•Some types of herbhoneys exhibit a distinct antimicrobial effect.

Herbhoneys are bee products obtained by feeding bees with a sugar medium enriched with plant extracts. Five types of such products including: nettle, chokeberry, pine, hawthorn and aloe as well as three types of natural honeys: buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.), acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) and honeydew honey were analyzed. The studies focused on the determination of the major enzymes activities, antioxidant capacity and identification of antimicrobial effects. It was found, that among others nettle herbhoney possessed the highest antimicrobial ability. This ability was evident especially against Escherichia coli and Proteus myxofaciens. All samples tested had no detectable antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis. The investigated herbhoneys were also characterized by higher antioxidant capacity compared to natural honey. In herbhoneys samples high concentration of citric acid (particularly nettle and chokeberry herbhoneys - 572 and 508 mg/100 g respectively) were found. It was noted that all herbhoney samples utilized in this study fulfill the quality parameters established for natural honeys by the EC directive.