ENHANCING THE BIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF A MELIPONICULTURE-DERIVED MATRIX THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF PROPOLIS EXTRACT

The growing demand for functional foods has stimulated the development of products enriched with natural bioactive ingredients. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating different concentrations of propolis extract from the stingless bee Scaptotrigona bipunctata into honey, focusing on physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial activity, and sensory attributes. Honey and propolis produced by S. bipunctata were collected in Paraná State, Brazil. Propolis extract was incorporated into honey at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% (w/w). Physicochemical analyses included reducing sugars, soluble solids, acidity, pH, moisture, water activity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), color parameters, total phenolics, and flavonoids. Antioxidant activity was determined using ABTS and FRAP assays. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus subtilis, and Streptococcus mutans through minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and time-kill assays. Sensory characterization was performed by a trained panel using descriptive analysis and principal component analysis. Propolis supplementation significantly enhanced the functional properties of honey in a concentration-dependent manner. The formulation containing 0.75% propolis exhibited the highest phenolic content (31.44 mg GAE 100 g⁻¹), flavonoid concentration (6.35 mg QE 100 g⁻¹), FRAP value (446.80 mM Fe²⁺ 100 g⁻¹), and ABTS activity (261.56 mM TE 100 g⁻¹). All treatments demonstrated antimicrobial activity, with S. aureus being the most susceptible microorganism, presenting MIC and MBC values as low as 1.25%. Time-kill assays confirmed that propolis-enriched formulations promoted greater bacterial reduction over time compared with pure honey. Sensory evaluation indicated that propolis addition modified aroma, flavor, and visual characteristics, increasing propolis-related sensory notes without negatively affecting overall product acceptability. These findings demonstrate that propolis enrichment is an effective strategy to improve the bioactive and antimicrobial properties of stingless bee honey while maintaining desirable sensory characteristics, contributing to the development of innovative functional foods and adding value to meliponiculture products.