**1. Introduction**

#### **1.1. Honey: a beneficial food product**

Due to its unique taste, nutritional value and health-promoting properties, honey has a valued place in the human diet. Sugars, mainly fructose and glucose, and minor amounts of oligosaccharides account for about 80% of its weight. As a consequence, it is an easily digestible and high energetic food product. Consumption of 100 g of honey provides the body

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with about 320 kcal. However, the health-promoting properties of this product come mainly from the presence of other than sugar components: enzymes, peptides, free amino acids, vitamins, organic acids, flavonoids, phenolic acids and other phytochemicals and minerals [1]. The beneficial effects of eating honey have been confirmed by centuries of observations. Consequently, honey has become one of the major therapeutic agents of traditional medicine. Depending of botanical source, different types of honey are proposed for prophylaxis and treatment of different health problems. According to polish traditional medicine [2],


In particular, interesting and important issue is antimicrobial activity of honey. In fact, it is the only food product that without any technological processing, nor addition of preservatives, can be stored for a long period of time—even several years, without any negative symptoms. Interestingly, the honey is not a sterile product (**Figure 1**).

It contains some microorganisms, mostly bacteria yeast and molds. However, the specific environment of this product, high osmotic pressure (high concentration of sugars) and high acidity (low value of pH) prevents the development of microorganisms [3]. As a consequence, only some groups of bacteria and fungi are able to exist within environment of honey and the population of microorganisms is stable during storage. Moreover, it has been shown that some of bacteria that are present in the honey produce antimicrobial agents, bacteriocins, which can protect the product against development of other microorganisms and are be beneficial for consumers' health [4]. Antimicrobial potential of honey has been successfully used in folk medicine, with a particularly good result in the case of therapy of infected, difficult to heal wounds [5]. Since the introduction to the clinical practice sulfonamides and next antibiotics treatment of infectious diseases with natural products, including honey was minimized. Due to observed recently rapid increase in isolations of strains resistant to a plethora of antibiotics, the possibility of using herbs, honeybee products and other natural products for the treatment of infection is again seriously considered. The aim of preparing this chapter is presenting perspectives not only limitations of application honey for treatment but also prophylaxis of diseases caused by microorganisms, especially bacteria.

with about 320 kcal. However, the health-promoting properties of this product come mainly from the presence of other than sugar components: enzymes, peptides, free amino acids, vitamins, organic acids, flavonoids, phenolic acids and other phytochemicals and minerals [1]. The beneficial effects of eating honey have been confirmed by centuries of observations. Consequently, honey has become one of the major therapeutic agents of traditional medicine. Depending of botanical source, different types of honey are proposed for prophylaxis and

• rapeseed honey (produced from *Brassica napus* L.) soothes liver disease, and it is also rec-

• honey produced from acacia (*Robinia pseudoacacia* L.) nectar is especially recommended for diabetics, and it also helps to alleviate digestive disorders and gastrointestinal diseases; • heather (*Calluna vulgaris* L.) honey is used for treatment prostate and liver and biliary sys-

• many benefits come from consumption of buckwheat (*Fagopyrum esculentum* Moench) honey; it relieves the symptoms of hypertension and atherosclerosis and promotes regeneration of bone tissue. It is also recommended to diabetics and for treatment of inflammatory

• good results in the treatment of depression an neuroses have been obtained by the use of honey sourced from buckwheat, linden tree (*Tilia* spp.) and also some multifloral and

• diaphoretic and antipyretic effects have been confirmed for raspberry (*Rubus idaeus* L.) and linden tree honeys; as a consequence, these honeys are popular in treatment of influenza

In particular, interesting and important issue is antimicrobial activity of honey. In fact, it is the only food product that without any technological processing, nor addition of preservatives, can be stored for a long period of time—even several years, without any negative symptoms.

It contains some microorganisms, mostly bacteria yeast and molds. However, the specific environment of this product, high osmotic pressure (high concentration of sugars) and high acidity (low value of pH) prevents the development of microorganisms [3]. As a consequence, only some groups of bacteria and fungi are able to exist within environment of honey and the population of microorganisms is stable during storage. Moreover, it has been shown that some of bacteria that are present in the honey produce antimicrobial agents, bacteriocins, which can protect the product against development of other microorganisms and are be beneficial for consumers' health [4]. Antimicrobial potential of honey has been successfully used in folk medicine, with a particularly good result in the case of therapy of infected, difficult to heal wounds [5]. Since the introduction to the clinical practice sulfonamides and next antibiotics treatment of infectious diseases with natural products, including honey was minimized. Due to observed recently rapid increase in isolations of strains resistant to a plethora of antibiotics, the possibility of using herbs, honeybee products and other natural products for the treatment of infection is again seriously considered. The aim of preparing this chapter

treatment of different health problems. According to polish traditional medicine [2],

ommended in therapy of diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys;

conditions of the kidney, urinary tract and joints;

Interestingly, the honey is not a sterile product (**Figure 1**).

tem diseases;

216 Honey Analysis

honeydew honeys;

and bacterial infections.

**Figure 1.** (A) Solutions of investigated honeys (25%, v/v): A, rapeseed honey (*Brassica napus* L.); B, multifloral honey; C, buckwheat honey (*Fagopyrum esculentum* Moench); D, Manuka honey (*Leptospermum scoparium*). Some characteristic differences in the color of the solutions are visible. (B) Result of growing of 50 µl of solutions of honeys A and B on LA agar. In both cases, several colonies were obtained, which confirm contamination of investigated honeys with some bacteria.
