PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS IN HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA) IN BRAZIL: A REVIEW

Abstract

Among the products produced by bees (Apis mellifera), honey is widely used for its nutritional potential and therapeutic benefits, which are associated with the content of phenolic compounds. These compounds are related to botanical, geographical and climatic origin. For this reason, Brazilian biodiversity makes it possible to produce very rich honeys in these compounds. Therefore, this review aims to synthesize available evidence on phenolic compounds in honeys of honeys (Apis mellifera), and their antioxidant activity with emphasis on honeys produced in Brazil. The Brazilian floral honeys showed a great variability in the phenolic content, as well as in the phenolic profile of these honeys. Some compounds were present in most honeys from different regions of the country as phenolic acids: gallic acid and p-coumaric acid and flavonoids (quercetin). Due to this, they showed variation in antioxidant activity. In conclusion, we hope that this review will be useful as a reference on the compounds present in monofloral honeys from botanical origins native to Brazil. In addition, we emphasize the antioxidant activity of these compounds, which have the potential to bring benefits to human health.