Antioxidant Activity and Botanical Origin of Stingless Bee Honey from Three Zones of Oromia in Ethiopia

Stingless bee (Meliponula beccarii) honey forms a large group of bees that lack a sting, and they are spread throughout the tropical and subtropical areas of the globe. The aim of this study was to study the botanical origin and investigate the antioxidant contents of stingless bee honey (M. beccarii) from different potential areas of Oromia. Of the identified pollen, 15.4% were under the families of Asteraceae and Fabaceae. The antioxidant contents and antioxidant activities of the honey were evaluated. Stingless bee honey excavated from Gera district had the highest total phenol content (89.759±15.1 mg GAE / 100 g). These results show that stingless bee honey has useful amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds that are able to act as natural antioxidants.