Microbial Community Structure among Honey Samples of Different Pollen Origin

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Food Science
• Ecology

Background:

• Honey's antibacterial properties are linked to its microbiota.
• Understanding honey microbial communities is key to its functionality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the microbial community structure of Greek honeys with antimicrobial activity.
• To correlate microbial diversity with honey pollen and geographical origin.

Main Methods:

• High-throughput amplicon sequencing of honey microbiota.
• Analysis of ecological indices and dominant taxa.
• Identification of 335 distinct taxa across samples.

Main Results:

• Fir and cotton honeys showed higher microbial diversity than fir-oak and Arbutus unedo honeys.
• Lactobacillus kunkeei dominated fir honey; Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Lysobacter, and Meiothermus dominated cotton honey.
• Lonsdalea and Zymobacter were dominant in fir-oak honey; methylotrophic bacteria were consistently present.

Conclusions:

• Honey microbiota originates from bees and flowering plants, including beneficial and pathogenic microbes.
• Microbial composition varies with honey's pollen and geographical origin.
• Potential for using microbial bioindicators to assess honey authenticity.