Investigation of the Antimicrobial Activity and Insight into the Physicochemical Properties of Honey from Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Nutrition (Food hygiene and Control Division), High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

2 Department of Microbiology, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

Abstract

The present study investigated the carbohydrate composition and the pollen content of the mostly produced and consumed honeys in Egypt and correlated these to their antimicrobial effect. Honey samples (clover, citrus, black seed and sider) were collected from beekeepers and/or markets depending on their availability. They were tested for physiochemical and sugar composition. Moreover, they were tested undiluted, and at 75, 50, 30 and 10% (w/v) dilution against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Candida albicans (C. albicans) to detect their antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion assay. Results indicated that all samples were complying with codex 1998,2001, European standard 2002 and Egyptian standard 2005, regarding their physicochemical parameters, but 62.5% were complying regarding their carbohydrate composition. According to pollen contents, all honey samples belonged to the class I of representivity (under-represented honeys, with less than 20,000 pollen/10g honey). Locally produced honeys were found to have activity against the tested pathogenic bacteria however, the greatest inhibition was seen at the undiluted form of honeys. Only Candida albicans was not inhibited. Pollen contents affected the antibacterial activity of honey, the higher the pollen, the higher is the antibacterial activity. 

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