Stingless bee honey: technical regulation proposal

Summary Stingless bee honeys are unique products from the Brazilian biodiversity, present and appreciated by popular culture since the original peoples of the Americas. The greater acidity and moisture content of this honey make its flavour unusual and its viscosity lower when compared with the honey from the exotic species Apis mellifera. Due to these differences, this product requires the establishment of specific physical and chemical parameters to serve as a reference for both quality control and marketing purposes. Based on research carried out by Embrapa and the Institute of Food Technology in Campinas, Brazil, and also on a literature review of several scientific studies carried out by other research and educational institutes, this communication aims to clarify the peculiarities of this product and present a proposal for a Technical Regulation for stingless bee honeys aimed at its marketing in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, thus contributing to the availability of a safe product of good quality for the final consumer.