| Summary: | AbstractThis study is aimed at determining the physicochemical and microbiological quality of stingless bee honey (Meliponula beccarii) collected in potential areas in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Thirty-nine honey samples from underground soils were collected. The findings of the investigation indicated that the mean values of physicochemical properties for stingless bee honey samples were: moisture content (30.69 ± 0.29%), pH value (3.30 ± 0.03), free acidity (92.39 ± 4.45 meq/kg), ash content (0.16 ± 0.01%), electrical conductivity (0.44 ± 0.2 mS/cm), HMF (6.58 ± 0.36 mg/kg), fructose (36.48 ± 0.54%), glucose (27.67 ± 0.43%), reducing sugar (64.15 ± 0.75%) sucrose (1.24 ± 0.18%) and maltose content (1.2 ± 0.18%). The honey sample studied from Meliponulla beccarii was mostly characterized as having a light amber color (50%). Honey produced by stingless bees is distinguished from Apis mellifera honey by having a lower level of sugar, a higher amount of moisture, and free acidity. There were 2.55 × 104 to 1.9 × 103 CFU/mL of Aerobic Mesophiles, 1.68 × 104 to 9 × 102 CFU/mL of yeast, and 1.8 × 103 to 2 × 102 CFU/mL of mold in the Meliponulla beccarii honey sample. Staphylococcus species could only be detected in a sample taken from the Guduru area; however, an aerobic spore-forming bacteria was undetectable in all stingless bee samples. This suggested that there may have been cross-contamination from primary and secondary sources during pre-harvesting and post-harvest handling. Specific quality specifications must be established to promote commercialization since the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of stingless bee honey differ from those of A. mellifera.
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