Antibacterial effect of argentinian pollens and honeys

Abstract

Honey and pollen are considered functional foods, due to their multiple properties since they have a great diversity of active principles according to their botanical origin. The aim of this work was to analyze the antimicrobial effect of pollens and honeys from different origins of Argentina against the antibiotic resistant Shigella flexneri, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi. Honey samples showed a significant effect over the inhibition of them, being higher in Salmonella. Pollen inhibited Shigella and Salmonella and showed no effect on Escherichia. The concentration of total phenols was higher in pollen than in honey. The highest value observed in honey was 7.48 mg/L in a sample from Entre Ríos, and it was 8.66 mg/L in pollen from Neuquén.