POLLEN AND phYSICOCHEmiCAL ANALYSIS OF Apis AND Tetragonisca (ApiDAE) HONEY Ortrud M. Barth, Alex S. Freitas, Graziela L. Sousa and Ligia B. Almeida-Muradian SUMMARY Pollen and physicochemical analyses of honey were car- rected to plants of the native flora. The assemblage of plant ried out in order to distinguish between trophic resources species visited during the flowering period by Apis and Tetrag- and nutritional preferences of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and onisca was not the same. Physicochemical analyses showed Tetragonisca angustula (‘ jataí’ bees). Honey samples from both differences between all analyzed parameters, except for color bee species were obtained on the same day in each apiary. determination. Jataí honeys presented higher values of humid- Six apiaries, localized in different regions of the State of São ity, acidity, diastase, ashes, sucrose and electric conductivity, Paulo, Brazil, contributed, in different days, to the experiment. and Apis honeys of fructose and glucose. No correspondence No bee species was more generalist than the other. Eucalyptus between physicochemical and monofloral honey properties was and Citrus, two introduced plant genera in Brazil, were very observed. attractive to honeybees. The preference of jataí bees was di- ANÁLISIS fiSICOQUÍmiCO Y DEL POLEN DE miELES DE Apis Y Tetragonisca (ApiDAE) Ortrud M. Barth, Alex S. Freitas, Graziela L. Sousa y Ligia B. Almeida-Muradian RESUMEN Se llevaron a cabo análisis fisicoquímicos y del polen de preferencia de las abejas jatai estuvo dirigida a plantas de la las mieles a fin de distinguir entre los recursos tróficos y las flora nativa. El conjunto de especies de plantas visitadas du- preferencias nutricionales de Apis mellifera (abejas de miel) rante el periodo de floración por Apis y Tetragonisca fue dife- y Tetragonisca angustula (abejas ‘ jataí’). Muestras de miel de rente. Los análisis fisicoquímicos mostraron diferencias entre ambas abejas fueron obtenidas el mismo día en cada apiario. todos los parámetros analizados, excepto el color. Las mieles Seis apiarios localizados en diferentes regiones del estado de jatai presentaron valores más altos de humedad, acidez, dias- Sao Paulo, Brasil, contribuyeron, en días diferentes, al estudio. tasa, cenizas, sacarosa y conductividad eléctrica, y las mieles Ninguna de las especies fue más generalista que la otra. Eu- de Apis valores de fructosa y glucosa. No se observó corres- calyptus y Citrus, dos géneros de plantas introducidas al Bra- pondencia entre las propiedades fisicoquímicas y la miel mo- sil, resultaron ser muy atractivas para las abejas de miel. La nofloral. Introduction drastically reduced and food royal jelly (Barth, 2005; Mor- 2007) were applied to honey- competition increased between gado and Barth, 2011) were bee products only. Pollen spec- European bees (Apis sp.) bees, requiring investigation. later studied using pollen anal- tra of stingless bee honeys were introduced into the The former melissopalyno- ysis as well. were presented by several au- southern region of Brazil since logical knowledge in Brazil Both palynological and thors (Vit and Ricciardelli 1839 by colonists (Wiese, was reviewed by Barth (2004). physicochemical analyses of D’Albore, 1994; Bazlen, 2000; 1984) intending commercial Trophic preferences of bees pollen loads (Bastos et al., Carvalho et al., 2001; Alves et activities. The native stingless and the phytogeographical 2004; Almeida-Muradian et al., 2006). Comparative physi- bees have had no value for characterization of Brazilian al., 2005) and honeys (Barth cochemical analyses between honey production. At present, honeys (Luz et al., 2007), geo- et al., 2005; Almeida-Muradi- propolis (honeybees) and geo- the natural bee flora has been propolis (Barth, 2006) and an et al., 2007; Luz et al., propolis (stingless bees) sam- KEYWORDS / Apis mellifera / Honey / Meliponinae / Physicochemical Analysis / Pollen Analysis / Tetragonisca angustula / Trophic Resources / Received: 05/04/2012. Modified: 04/01/2013. Accepted: 04/08/2013. Ortrud Monika Barth. Ph.D. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. e- Graziela L. Sousa. M.Sc. Re- Ligia Bicudo Almeida-Muradian. Researcher. Instituto Oswaldo mail: [email protected] searcher and Collaborator, De- Ph.D. Researcher and Collabo- Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil. Address: Alex da Silva de Freitas. Biolo- partamento de Alimentos e rator, Departamento de Ali- Laboratório de Morfologia e gist. Collaborator, Universidade Nutrição Experimental, Facul- mentos e Nutrição Experimen- Morfogênese Viral, Pavilhão Federal Fluminense (UFF), dade de Ciências Farmacêuti- tal, Faculdade de Ciências Hélio e Peggy Pereira, Fiocruz. Niteroi, RJ, Brazil. cas, Universidade de São Paulo Farmacêuticas, USP, São Pau- Avenida Brasil 4365. 21040-900 (USP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. lo, SP, Brazil. 280 0378-1844/13/04/280-06 $ 3.00/0 APR 2013, VOL. 38 Nº 04 ANÁLISE fiSICOQUÍmiCA E DO PÓLEN DO MEL DE Apis Y Tetragonisca (ApiDAE) Ortrud M. Barth, Alex S. Freitas, Graziela L. Sousa e Ligia B. Almeida-Muradian RESUMO Realizaram-se análises físico-químicas e do pólen dos méis A preferência das abelhas jataí esteve orientada a plantas da com o fim de distinguir entre os recursos tróficos e as prefe- flora nativa. O conjunto de espécies de plantas visitadas du- rências nutricionais de Apis mellifera (abelhas de mel) e Tetra- rante o período de floração por Apis e Tetragonisca foi dife- gonisca angustula (abelhas ‘ jataí amarela’). Mostras de mel de rente. As análises físico-químicas mostraram diferenças entre ambas as abelhas foram obtidas no mesmo dia em cada apiá- todos os parâmetros analisados, exceto a cor. Os méis jataí rio. Seis apiários localizados em diferentes regiões do estado apresentaram valores mais altos de umidade, acidez, diástase, de São Paulo, Brasil, contribuíram, em dias diferentes, ao es- cinzas, sacarosa e condutividade eléctrica, e os méis de Apis tudo. Nenhuma das espécies foi mais generalista que a outra. valores de frutose e glucose. Não se observou correspondência Eucalyptus e Citrus, dois gêneros de plantas introduzidas ao entre as propriedades físico-químicas e o mel monofloral. Brasil, resultaram ser muito atrativas para as abelhas de mel. ples were presented by Pereira Table I stingless bees of Brazil, which et al. (2003). Localities where honeY samples of Apis mellifera presents differences in some Trophic resources used by and Tetragonisca angustula were obtained physicochemical parameters honeybees and stingless bees (Azeredo et al., 2000). Samples / Global Physicochemical analyses were considered in relation to position system Localities / beekeepers Date of pollen loads also (Carvalho (GPS) collection were carried out in the Labo- and Marchini, 1999; Souza et ratory of Food Analyses of the Amparo Sítio Bela Vista / 25/08/2006 Department of Foods and Ex- al. 2002; Ramalho et al., 2007; 22o42'04''S Amparo-SP / Morgado et al., 2011). No 46o45'52''W Vicentin perimental Nutrition, Pharma- available palynological data is ceutical Science School, Uni- Itaberaba Apiário Capelinha / 16/04/2007 known for Brazilian honey o versity of São Paulo. The 23 27'46''S Estrada de Itaberaba, quality control of Apis mel- samples obtained in a same 46o31'58''W 7 Guarulhos-SP / day from both species of bees Julio de Oliveira lifera honeys moisture (%), living in a same apiary (desig- acidity (mEq·kg-1), ashes (%) Lins Apacame Lins-SP / 20/03/2006 and diastase number followed nated ‘paired honeys’). When o honeybee and stingless bee 21 40'25''S Waldemar Monteiro the methodology of the AOAC 49o45'23''W combs were located closely in (1990), Brasil (1981) and CAC an apiary, competition of for- Marília Marília- BR 153 / 13/11/2007 (1989). Sugars were analyzed 49o56'46''S Cynthia Anderson de Souza by HPLC: glucose (%), fruc- aging activities must be stud- o ied. Considered sometimes as 23 13'10''W Carvalho Colombo tose (%) and sucrose (%) fol- specialists and sometimes as Pedreira Sítio Caxambu / 06/11/2006 lowing the methodology in generalists, these bees may 22o44'31''S Pedreira-SP / Bogdanov et al. (1997); the have some trophic resources in 46o54'05''W Luciano Panigassi electric conductivity in uS·cm-1 common. Palynological and Sto. Antônio de Posse Apícola Del Fiore / 02/12/2007 was determined following the chemical analysis of these 22o36'22''S Marcelo Del Fiore methodology in Stefanini honeys (Vit et al., 2006) may 46o55'10''W (1984). The color determina- help to get a better knowledge tion (mm Pfund) followed the of the apiflora and, conse- methodology in Brasil (1981). quently, a better honey quality, and distant localities (Table I) 1978) to obtain the honey sed- Standard values were present- income and profit to beekeep- in the State of São Paulo, Bra- iments without the use of ac- ed (Marchini et al., 2004, ers. zil: Amparo, Itaberaba, Lins, etolysis. Available palynologi- 2005; Barth et al., 2005; Al- Therefore, we analyzed Marília, Pedreira and Santo cal literature (Barth, 1989: meida-Muradian and Bera, paired honey samples of Apis Antônio da Posse. The apiaries Roubik and Moreno, 1991; 2008; Souza, 2008). mellifera and Tetragonisca maintained combs of the hon- Moreti et al., 2002) and the angustula, and identified the eybee Apis mellifera (Apidae), pollen slide collection of the Results respective plants visited by and the stingless bee Tetrago- Laboratory of Palynology, Fed- these bees at the same time in nisca angustula (Meliponinae, eral University of Rio de Ja- The data obtained are pre- the same locality, using paly- ‘jataí’). The honey samples neiro,