Antibacterial Activity of Honey and Beebread of Different Origin Against S. aureus and S. epidermidis
Vilma Baltrušaitytė1, Petras Rimantas Venskutonis1* and Violeta Čeksterytė2
1Kaunas University of Technology, Department of Food Technology, Radvilënø pl. 19, Kaunas, LT-50254, Lithuania
2Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Dotnuva-Akademija, Këdainiø district, LT-58344, Lithuania
Article history:
Received July 18, 2005
Accepted July 3, 2006
Key words:
honey, beebread, antibacterial activity, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis
Summary:
The study is aimed at the evaluation of antimicrobial properties of honey and beebread products of different origin. The inhibitory action of 34 honey and 4 beebread samples was tested against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis by the agar well diffusion method. Total antibacterial activity was evaluated by measuring the clear zone around the well, and expressed in phenol concentration possessing equivalent activity. Honey samples were tested after dilution to 50, 25 and 10 % (by mass per volume). The solutions containing 10 % (by mass per volume) of honey did not have any effect on the growth of bacteria; some honey samples had no inhibitory activity on any of the concentrations used. The contribution of catalase and neutralization to the antimicrobial activity of honey was also assessed. It was found that the antibacterial activity of the tested honey samples was dependent on hydrogen peroxide formation, while such dependence was not observed for the beebread samples. Floral source of honey and bacterial culture were other two factors related to the antibacterial activity. However, the possible contribution of phytochemicals, which may be transferred to honey, should be assessed by using other methods.
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