Classification of stingless bee honey based on species, dehumidification process and geographical origins using physicochemical and ATR-FTIR chemometric approach

Stingless bee honey has been well recognized and consumed due to its nutritional and therapeutic values. This study investigated the physicochemical properties and chemical profiles of Malaysian stingless bee honey from different species, dehumidification process, and geographical origins using chemometric techniques. In total, 122 samples were collected from different species across different states in Malaysia. The range for each of the physicochemical properties in the studied samples was as stipulated by the Malaysian standard. However, a significantly different (p < 0.05) in the value of free acidity (FA), pH, and ash content (AC) was observed between honeys obtained from the species of Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica. The attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) chemometrics showed that the wavenumbers at 2934, 1400, 1040, and 1256 cm-1 were more prominent in H. itama and G. thoracica, whereas the predominant wavenumbers at 600 - 900 cm-1 were observed in Tetrigona apicalis. The chemometric analyzes showed the reliability of physicochemical properties and ATR-FTIR to differentiate the stingless bee honey on the basis of the dehumidification process and geographical origins but not by species. The findings indicate the potential use of the ATR-FTIR-based chemometric approach in the classification and quality control of Malaysian stingless bee honey besides the existing physicochemical analysis.