Qualidade microbiológica e caracterização físico-química de amostras de mel de abelhas sem ferrão de seis regiões do estado do Paraná

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality and physicochemical characterization of 26 honey samples of stingless bee from six regions of the State of Paraná: Tetragonisca angustula (n=15), Scaptotrigona bipunctata (n=05), Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata (n=05) and Melipona bicolor schencki (n=01), to contribute to the identity and quality standards, providing information for the preparation of rules relating to honey produced by stingless bees at the state level and national. Coliform counts were performed at 35ºC and 45ºC coliforms, fungi counting and detection of Salmonella spp, according to methods described by the international standards APHA - (APHA technical committee on microbiological methods for foods). For coliform 35ºC, 15.38% of honey samples analyzed had values > 3NMP.g-1, and of which 7.69% was observed positive for coliforms at 45ºC, and all samples of Tetragonisca angustula. The high result for coliforms at 35ºC may indicate a failure on good handling practices in respect of samples evaluated and may also be naturally related to the bees, because these bacteria are present fluently in the environment and during foraging bees can bring these bacteria to the colony. The results of positive sample for coliforms at 45ºC indicated the product post-processing contamination, since these bacteria need water activity greater than 0.91 for their growth, providing more safety information about the hygienic conditions of the product. For analyzed samples, the most value for water activity was 0.85 and insufficient value to the development of enteral pathogens, which does not preclude their survival in the environment. For fungi count, 100.00% of the samples presented values within the desired limits by Regulation Identity Technical and Honey Quality of social stingless bees, Melipona genus, the State Agency of Bahia Agricultural Defense (ADAB). In the samples the presence of Salmonella spp. was not observed. For physical and chemical characteristics, most of the samples were within the maximum and minimum suggested in other studies by different authors. For moisture 92.31% of the samples did not fit within the proposed limit, pH 100.00%, 84.62% acidity, formol index 61.54%, ash 100.00% and 100.00% color. Electrical conductivity presented lower than those cited by other authors, hydroxymethylfurfural 88.46%, protein 100.00%, reducing sugars 100.00%, total reducing sugars 100.00% and sucrose 100.00%. Viscosity presented higher values, diastase activity 100.00%, with values below the suggested minimum limit, and water activity presented higher values. For diastase activity is recommended that this analysis must be reviewed as a quality indicator. By principal component analysis it was possible to observe the similarity of some samples correlated with the analyzed variables, producing species and region, how these factors influenced the final product quality. The characterization of physicochemical parameters and checking the microbiological quality of honey samples produced by stingless bees may help to establish a normative for honey quality standards of the analyzed species.