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Honey from Australian stingless bees, frequently described as sugarbag bees, has actually traditionally functioned as a food source. It is likewise a standard solution for conditions like scratchy skin and sores amongst Indigenous neighborhoods in Australia. In brand-new research study, researchers examined the antimicrobial residential or commercial properties and chemical profiles of honey produced by the Australian stingless bee types: Tetragonula carbonaria Tetragonula hockingsi, and Austroplebeia australisTheir findings exposed a high antimicrobial capacity of these honeys versus varied human pathogens, comparable to or higher than that observed in many European honey bee (Apis melliferahoneys.
Tetragonula carbonaria combs. Image credit: Tobias Smith.
Antimicrobial resistance postures an important worldwide health obstacle.
Different natural items have actually developed as a defense versus microbial attack and can be made use of as unique restorative representatives.
While honey from the European honey bee is well studied, the medical capacity of Australian stingless bee honey stays underexplored.
“Given the growing medical difficulty of antimicrobial resistance, our findings recommend stingless bee honey might match, or supply an important option to, artificial prescription antibiotics,” stated University of Sydney scientist Kenya Fernandes.
“Unlike honey from the European honeybee, which typically depends on hydrogen peroxide for its antimicrobial impacts, the honey from Australian stingless bees displays high levels of both hydrogen peroxide and non-peroxide activity– making it robust and flexible as a possible healing representative.”
The authors discovered when hydrogen peroxide was eliminated the honey showed antimicrobial activity, recommending this is intrinsic to the honey itself.
“Manuka honey from honeybees shows strong non-peroxide antimicrobial activity, which is one reason that its production has actually been an industrial success,” Dr. Fernandes stated.
“However, that is mainly dependent on the source of its nectar from particular myrtle plants (Leptospermum.”
“In contrast, the relentless antimicrobial activity of heat-treated, non-peroxide honey from stingless Australian bees throughout varied places and nectar sources recommends there is something unique about these bees, instead of simply nectar, that plays a vital function here.”
“We found the antimicrobial activity corresponds throughout all sugarbag samples evaluated, unlike honeybee honey, which can differ substantially based upon seasonal modifications and flower sources,” stated University of Sydney’s Professor Dee Carter.
The scientists hope this consistency might improve the capacity for business medical applications.
Difficulties stay worrying scalability. Each stingless beehive produces about half a liter of honey a year, providing an obstacle for massive production.
“While the yield is little, these hives need less upkeep than standard beehives, permitting beekeepers to handle bigger numbers,” stated University of Sydney’s Dr. Ros Gloag.
“With correct rewards, such as business worth for the honey, it’s practical to cultivate more hives, supplying a path for industrial scalability.”
“Encouragingly, native stingless bee honey in 2015 acquired approval from Food Standards Australia New Zealand, leading the way for nationwide and worldwide commercialization.”
“This regulative assistance holds pledge for the facility of a specific niche market for high-value, small-quantity items.”
The findings were released May 21 in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology
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Kenya E. Fernandes et al2025. Strong antimicrobial activity and special physicochemical attributes in honey from Australian stingless bees Tetragonula carbonaria Tetragonula hockingsiand Austroplebeia australis Applied and Environmental Microbiology 91 (6 ); doi: 10.1128/ aem.02523-24
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