Journal of Agricultural Science; Vol. 10, No. 7; 2018 ISSN 1916-9752 E-ISSN 1916-9760 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 196 Physico-chemical Parameters of Honey From Melipona mondury Smith, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini) Rogério Marcos de Oliveira Alves 1,3 , Jacqueline Lemos Viana 2 , Henrique de Abreu Cerqueira Sousa 2 & Ana Maria Waldschmidt 2 1 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Baiano, Catu, Bahia, Brazil 2 Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Jequié, Bahia, Brazil 3 Universidade Federal do Recôncavo Baiano, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazil Correspondence: Ana Maria Waldschmidt, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Rua José Moreira Sobrinho, s/n, CEP 45.200-000, Jequiezinho, Jequié, Bahia, Brazil. Tel: 55-73-3528-9725. E-mail: amwalds@uesb.edu.br Received: March 15, 2018 Accepted: May 2, 2018 Online Published: June 15, 2018 doi:10.5539/jas.v10n7p196 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v10n7p196 Abstract The physico-chemical properties of honey produced by the stingless bee Melipona mondury from Atlantic Forest in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil were evaluated. The evaluated characteristics included: water content, electrical conductivity, pH, acidity, water activity, ashes, diastase, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), reducing sugars and saccharose values. The honey samples showed mean values of 29.18% for moisture; 391.5 μS for electrical conductivity; pH of 4.06; 34.3 meq kg -1 for acidity; 0.73 for water activity; 0.18% for ashes; 4.05 (Goethe unit) for diastase; 1.60% for HMF; 65.42% for reducing sugars; and 2.14% of saccharose. Only the diastase activity was above the limits accepted by the Technical Regulation for Identity and Quality of Honey (Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Supplies). Most parameters are according to those reported in honeys from other species of stingless bees in Brazil. Keywords: Apidae, stingless bees, nutritional value, Atlantic Forest 1. Introduction Bees' products such as honey, pollen and propolis are consumed by the world population mainly by items of nutritional and medicinal values (Rao et al., 2016: Yaacob et al., 2017). The production and consumption of honey from stingless bees has been increasing over the last decades in Brazil. Nonetheless, regulatory agencies prohibit their industrial commercialization because these products have not been properly classified yet. Therefore, studies about the physico-chemical properties of honeys produced by native species of stingless bees are essential to help establish the parameters required for approving their commercialization (Anacleto et al., 2009). Indeed, some of the most important features to be considered in honey quality were established in previous reports (e.g. Vit et al., 1994; Carvalho et al., 2013). Recently, the Agency of Agropecuary Development and Protection (ADAB) from the state of Bahia in a partnership with the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo Baiano (UFRB) published the Technical Identity Regulation for the honey produced by Melipona stingless bees (ADAB, 2014). This initiative focused on the main parameters, including physico-chemical characteristics, to be evaluated to prevent frauds and to assure food safety of local population. The composition of honey depends on the plant sources used by bees as well as other features, such as soil type, bee species, physiological state of colonies, maturation of honey, management conditions, and climate. In Brazil, 192 species of meliponines bees are described (Silveira et al., 2002), but the representatives of the genus Melipona stand out in relation to honey production. Hence, a national legislation for regulating the quality and characteristics of honeys derived from these native species is justified. In the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, Melipona scutellaris, M. quadrifasciata anthidioides, and M. mondury are the main species exploited for honey. The latter is found in tropical forest areas and, even though, it is widely known by local population, the intensive culture of this species is still incipient and the characteristics of their honey are poorly known (Sousa et al., 2012).