Feeding Sugars to Stingless Bees: Identifying the Origin of Trehalulose-Rich Honey Composition
- Natasha L. Hungerford*Natasha L. Hungerford*Email: [email protected]. Tel: +61 7 3443 2473.Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaMore by Natasha L. Hungerford
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- Jiali ZhangJiali ZhangQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaSchool of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, AustraliaMore by Jiali Zhang
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- Tobias J. SmithTobias J. SmithSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, AustraliaMore by Tobias J. Smith
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- Hans S. A. YatesHans S. A. YatesForensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Health and Food Sciences Precinct, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaMore by Hans S. A. Yates
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- Sadia A. ChowdhurySadia A. ChowdhuryQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaForensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Health and Food Sciences Precinct, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaMore by Sadia A. Chowdhury
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- James F. CarterJames F. CarterQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaForensic and Scientific Services, Queensland Health, Health and Food Sciences Precinct, Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaMore by James F. Carter
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- Matheus Carpinelli de JesusMatheus Carpinelli de JesusSchool of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, AustraliaMore by Matheus Carpinelli de Jesus
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- Mary T. FletcherMary T. FletcherQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland, 39 Kessels Rd., Coopers Plains, QLD 4108, AustraliaMore by Mary T. Fletcher
Abstract
The beneficial disaccharide, trehalulose, is a feature of stingless bee honey, while not dominant in any other foods. By experimentally feeding sugar solutions to confined colonies of the Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria, the origin of trehalulose has now been established. Complete conversion of fed sucrose was observed, by analysis of the honey, forming trehalulose (64–72%) with lesser erlose (18–23%), fructose (9–12%), and minor glucose detected. Remarkably, feeding solutions of glucose/fructose (1:1) mixtures did not result in trehalulose/erlose formation. Hence, stingless bees with natural access to floral nectar high in sucrose will produce honey high in trehalulose, with its associated beneficial properties. Any temptation to artificially increase trehalulose content by feeding sucrose to stingless bees would produce “fake” honey lacking key natural phytochemicals available to the foraging bee. The sucrose-fed fake and natural honey were however readily distinguished via isotope ratio mass spectrometry δ13C values, to combat such potential indirect adulteration.
Cited By
This article is cited by 4 publications.
- Jiali Zhang, Natasha L. Hungerford, Hans S.A. Yates, Tobias J. Smith, Mary T. Fletcher. How is Trehalulose Formed by Australian Stingless Bees? - An Intermolecular Displacement of Nectar Sucrose. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2022, 70 (21) , 6530-6539. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01732
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- Ming‐Cheng Wu, Cheng‐Yin Wu, Kanokwan Klaithin, Kuok Kiang Tiong, Chi‐Chung Peng. Effect of harvest time span on physicochemical properties, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti‐inflammatory activities of Meliponinae honey. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2022, 102 (13) , 5750-5758. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.11924
- Norhasnida Zawawi, Jiali Zhang, Natasha L. Hungerford, Hans S.A. Yates, Dennis C. Webber, Madeleine Farrell, Ujang Tinggi, Bhesh Bhandari, Mary T. Fletcher. Unique physicochemical properties and rare reducing sugar trehalulose mandate new international regulation for stingless bee honey. Food Chemistry 2022, 373 , 131566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131566