Physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant properties and bacterial profiling of three Malaysian honey varieties: a study using multivariate analysis

Background: The physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant properties, and bacterial profiles of Itama, Dorsata, and Mellifera honey of Malaysian origin were studied and the results were assessed using Pearson correlation analysis and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Results: The analysis showed that the Mellifera honey was characterised by high total sugar content (717.5 g/kg); the Itama honey was characterised by high free acidity (RSA; 347.5 meq/kg); and the Dorsata honey was characterised by high radical scavenging activity (69.3 %RSA), total phenolic content (TPC; 1284.5 mgGAE/kg) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF; 51.5 mg/kg). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the TPC was positively correlated with HMF as well as RSA. The bacterial profile of Mellifera honey was significantly less diverse than Itama and Dorsata honey. Mellifera and Itama honey seemed to harbour a significant abundance of lactic acid bacteria, with relative abundance of 0.339 and 0.195, which suggests that it possesses probiotic potential. The Dorsata honey, however, contained pathogenic Clostridium genus, constituting 5% of its bacterial profile. Conclusion: The characteristic properties of the three investigated honey, Itama, Dorsata, and Mellifera were identified. The distinctive characteristics of the honey varieties informed the development of appropriate processing strategies for retaining the beneficial qualities of raw honey. It is hoped that the results of this study will shine light on Malaysian honey in a highly competitive global market