Characterization of honeys produced by sympatric species of Afrotropical stingless bees (Hymenoptera, Meliponini)

• Bee species, not the two harvesting methods, influenced variation in honey properties. The honeys exhibited antiradical activity, likely derived from phytochemical. Some quality parameters deviated set limits for Apis mellifera honey. We investigated effect of bee species identity and methods on chemical composition activity 53 samples, produced by six stingless western Kenya (Kakamega forest). Our results illustrate that none assayed significantly varied between samples harvested “punching holes” (n = 25) “squeezing” 28) methods. By contrast, drove significant differences parameters. Positive correlations phytochemicals (phenols flavonoids) were observed, Liotrigona sp. highest amounts phenols (214 mg GAE/100 g), flavonoids (73.0 QE/100 g) (76.2%). physicochemical analyses confirm need to establish separate standards moisture, free acidity, invertase, electrical conductivity, HMF, as these diverged