Revisión narrativa: presencia de contaminantes en productos de la abeja Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille, 1811)

Tetragonisca angustula, known in Colombia as “angelita,” produces a type of honey known as “pot honey,” which differs from that of Apis mellifera in its distinctive flavor and aroma, more fluid texture, and slower crystallization. The aim of this study was to document contaminants reported in products derived from T. angustula and to review regulatory advances concerning native bee species. A narrative literature review was conducted using studies published in indexed journals across seven databases (PubMed, LILACS, Redalyc, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and SciELO), as well as university repositories and health agency reports. According to the literature, bee products may be contaminated with metals such as Cu, Zn, and Hg, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and pesticide residues. The formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) may also occur to a greater extent in A. mellifera honey, primarily as a result of thermal processing. From a regulatory perspective, the lack of specific quality standards for stingless bee products poses a challenge for their commercialization. In conclusion, the presence of metals, PAHs, and pesticides is not associated with bee species or behavior, but rather with environmental conditions. Therefore, the determination of these hazards is essential for assessing potential risks to consumer health, as well as supporting the development of genus-specific standards by establishing physicochemical parameters for apicultural products derived from native bees such as T. angustula.