FLAVONOIDS IN MELIPONINAE HONEYS FROM VENEZUELA RELATED TO THEIR BOTANICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL AND ENTOMOLOGICAL ORIGIN TO ASSESS THEIR PUTATIVE ANTICATARACT ACTIVITY

Honey was collected from 24 stinglessbee nests in Venezuela. The flavo noid compounds in the phenolic extracts were analysed and related to t he botanical, geographical and entomological origin of the honey: Hone ys produced in savannas were richer in flavonoids compared with honeys from the forests. It was found that phenolic extracts of honey of the same geographical origin had similar flavonoid profiles, whereas the same could not be said of honeys of the same entomological origin, alt hough the botanical origin of the samples was variable. It is proposed that analysis of stinglessbee honey eyedrops in terms of their flavon oid content can be used as a basis of authenticating and controlling f or their geographical origin.