Recently, the Bee Product Quality and Risk Assessment Innovation Team from the Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with several domestic and international research institutions, conducted an in-depth analysis of the physicochemical indicators of Stingless Bee Honey(SBH) in China. They comprehensively evaluated the quality characteristics of Chinese SBH and, for the first time, proposed that Mannitol could serve as a key chemical marker for authenticating SBH. This study provides a scientific basis for the quality control and quality standards of stingless bee honey both in China and globally. The related research findings were published in Food Chemistry and Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

Stingless bees, belonging to the tribe Meliponini under the family Apidae, are small, stingless pollinators with significant ecological and economic value. They are important pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions. Over 600 species of stingless bees have been reported worldwide, with China's stingless bees mainly distributed in Yunnan, Hainan, Tibet, and Taiwan. They are commonly known as "mosquito bees" ,"ant bees" or "sour bees". Similar to other bee species, stingless bees collect nectar from flowering plants. However, unlike other bees, stingless bees store the collected nectar in combs within their hive. After a period of natural fermentation, the nectar transforms into a natural sweet material known as SBH. In some regions, SBH is also referred to as “sour honey” or “pot honey”. Compared to regular honey, SBH has a stronger aroma, is rich in unique functional components such as Trehalulose, and has higher free acidity and moisture content, diverse aroma, sweet and sour taste, and a slightly lower viscosity and crystallization pattern. These characteristics give it a special taste and remarkable bioactive potential, making SBH increasingly popular among consumers, and its market price is relatively higher compared to conventional A. mellifera honey. Compared to honey from common bee species (such as Italian bees or Chinese honey bees), stingless bee hive are smaller, with an annual honey production of only about 350 grams to 2 kilograms per hive, resulting in lower yields and relatively higher market prices. Research on stingless bees in China started relatively late, and there is still a lack of systematic evaluation of the physicochemical indicators of SBH, which greatly limits the standardization of related products in China.

To address these issues and further promote the healthy development of China's stingless bee industry while enhancing consumer confidence, researchers from the Bee Product Quality and Risk Assessment Innovation Team have been collecting SBH samples since 2019 from major distribution areas in China, including Yunnan, Hainan, and Tibet. A total of 89 samples were collected, covering all five major species of stingless bees currently raised in China. The team conducted comprehensive analyses of key physicochemical indicators, including moisture, ash, free acidity, electrical conductivity, pH, diastase activity, trehalulose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(5-HMF). These results were compared with samples from Australia and Malaysia, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the quality characteristics of Chinese SBH and laying a solid foundation for aligning Chinese SBH with international standards. During this process, the team discovered a unique chemical component—Mannitol—in SBH for the first time. This natural six-carbon sugar alcohol is extremely rare in common bee species' honey but is consistently found in 104 SBH samples from both domestic and international sources. As a result, Mannitol is expected to become a "Gold Standard" for authenticating SBH.

As a representative of new quality productive forces in the beekeeping industry, the development of stingless bee rearing can further drive innovation in apicultural technology. Promoting SBH can also stimulate market potential, drive economic development, and explore new productive forces in agriculture. The aforementioned research findings provide an important basis for the quality control and market standardization of China's unique SBH, offering consumers more reliable assurance when purchasing this precious honey. Additionally, Mannitol is expected to serve as an "ID card" for SBH, helping consumers easily distinguish between genuine and counterfeit products and enjoy truly high-quality SBH.

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172791, 32322079), the Beijing Nova Program (20220484101), the Youth Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Y2022QC09), State Key Laboratory of Resource Insects (SKLRI-ORP202417), Shenzhen Zhilan Foundation (2022040591B), the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2023YFD2201804) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) from Brazil (Process: 316639/2021-4).

Link to publication:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157524008573

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814625002171