Among the many varieties of bees on our planet, there are stingless bees (meliponines) that inhabit tropical and subtropical regions. According to some studies, honey obtained from these bees is characterized by a richer aroma and medicinal properties. Scientists from the University of Queensland, collaborating with the Health Forensic and Scientific Services, have determined that the sugar found in the honey from stingless bees is more beneficial than that found in honey from common honeybees, as reported by the information resource Phys.org citing Vesti.ua.
Scientists discovered that a rare sugar, trehalulose, is produced in the intestines of these bees, absent in other types of honey or major components of other food products.
Dr. Hungerford, an organic chemist and research leader at the University of Queensland, noted that the origin of this special sugar had long been a mystery, as honey from stingless bees contained a high content of trehalulose.
In contrast to their European relatives, stingless bees store their honey not in combs, but in small pots made of a mixture of beeswax and plant resins.
The larger European honeybees (Apis mellifera) produce significantly more honey and are the main honey suppliers worldwide.
However, the honey from stingless bees, known for its healing properties in indigenous cultures, differs from other food products.
“Trehalulose is digested more slowly and does not cause a sharp spike in blood glucose levels, as seen with other types of sugars. We found that stingless bees have a unique ability to convert sucrose into trehalulose and produce honey with a high content of trehalulose in their intestines,” explained Dr. Hungerford.
The team of scientists also found that stingless bees fed a solution containing regular sugar could transform it into honey with a high trehalulose content. However, such a product significantly falls short in quality compared to honey obtained from nectar.
Interesting fact: Meliponini or Stingless Bees is a tribe of true honey-producing bees, distinguished by the fact that they protect themselves not with a sting, but with mandibles (the upper (paired) mouthparts of arthropods, used for biting and chewing food. In crustaceans, millipedes, and insects, they serve for chewing and grinding food). There are around 500 species of stingless bees known worldwide.
