Biochemical composition and bioactivity analysis of sour honey samples from Nagaland, Northeast India

Sour honey is a natural product produced by Trigona species, which is a stingless bee. The distribution of this honey is very low because of the limited knowledge and has resulted in being less popular in terms of industrial production and quality standard. The objective of the present study is the biochemical and bioactivity analysis of 7 sour honeys (Trigona species) and one sweet honey collected from Nagaland, Northeast India. The biochemical and physiochemical screening of all samples was performed. The results of these tests are certainly encouraging its utilization as food supplements. In the antioxidant assay, the honey samples have exhibited 31-81% (P > 0.05) of inhibition on DPPH as compared to standard ascorbic acid. Antibacterial test of the 7 sour honey samples has displayed a zone of inhibition ranging from 12 ± 0.21 mm to 17 ± 0.5 mm (P > 0.05)against Escherichia coli. The catalase and oxidase tests conducted on the isolated microbial colonies from honey samples expressed positive results. In HPLC analysis, the retention time of the highest peak in all samples (3.79- 3.84) was identical to the retention time of standards (3.79-3.87) at dilution 10−5 and a percentage of the area was nearly similar in all honey samples (11.93-14.84%) except SH6 which has 19.92%. In brief, the beneficial effects of stingless bee honey in different contexts, such as biochemical components, physicochemical properties, quantification of sugars, antioxidant and antibacterial activity has experimented and all the results were positive. Further, these honey samples may have the probable potential for many nutraceuticals.