Estudo físico-químico, químico e melissopalinológico de méis sazonais das espécies (melipona seminigra merrillae e melipona interrupta latreille) de meliponicultores da mesorregião amazônica-Am

Abstract

Honey from stingless bees is a very complex biological product, with particular physicochemical characteristics, whose composition varies according to the flora visited by the bees and the climatic conditions, is currently an activity that has been implemented due to its importance as pollinators of plant species and for contributing to income generation for farmers in the Amazon region, but it still lacks specific legislation regarding the characteristics of honey produced by these species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, chemical and melissopanilogical characteristics of melipone honeys (Melipona seminigra merrillae and Melipona interrupta Latreille) produced in periods in the meso-region of Amazonas in the 2017 harvest. The samples analyzed demonstrated that the requirements established by the Brazilian legislation of Apis mellifera do not fully meet the physicochemical characteristics of melipone honeys, highlighting the humidity, acidity and reducing influences of the seasonal periods of collection, especially in the rainy season. The melissopalinological analysis of the honeys of the bees analyzed indicated the presence of 32 different botanical families. The families Fabaceae and Myrtaceae were the main sources of nectar explored by M. s. merrillae, occurring consecutively in the two seasonal periods of the Amazon region. The bees M. interrupts in the rainy season, presented preferences by the families Amaranthaceae, Malpighiaceae and Poaceae (Itacoatiara), but the last family presented a high occurrence rate in Urucará, classified as monofloral. In the dry, the analyzed species presented general behavior in the use of pollen sources, classified as heterofloral. When the content of total flavonoids (12.42 to 28.99 FT μg Rutin g-1 Mel) and the antioxidant capacity by the DPPH method (110.43 to 744.23 EC50% mg g-1) were evaluated, significant variations in relation to bee species, seasonality and place of origin, corroborating with works found in the literature, showing a positive correlation between total flavonoid levels and antioxidant capacity. In addition, 19 volatile compounds were detected by mass spectrometry coupled to gas chromatography (GC-MS) in the samples analyzed. The results showed similarities in the chromatographic fingerprints for the honeys of the studied species of both meliponaria. The terpenes linalol, its cis and trans isoxides of linalool and the n-octane hydrocarbon were present in almost all samples. In this sense, new studies are needed and specific legislation is created to meet the quality requirements of meliponas honeys, aiming to provide real benefits to income generation for family agriculture in this region, also contributing to the maintenance of plant diversity. Keywords: 1. Meliponiculture-Amazon; 2. Chemistry; 3. Melissopanilogy; 4. Leg