Effects of honey enrichment with Spirulina platensis on phenolics, bioaccessibility, antioxidant capacity and fatty acids

The honeybees have been fed by Spirulina platensis extract and algal honey with green color produced by the bees naturally was obtained the first time in order to enhance its medicinal properties, mainly antioxidant properties. Antioxidant capacity, bioaccessibility of phenolics, hydrolysable and extractable phenolics, sugar, phenolic and fatty acid profiles were determined in the Spirulina honey. Total phenolic content of the Spirulina honey was 14.37 mg GAE/100g and increased 28.53% with Spirulina enrichment. Antioxidant capacities of the Spirulina honey were determined as 6.31, 5.85 and 3.66 μmol Trolox/g by ABTS, CUPRAC and DPPH methods in bioaccessible extracts. No significant difference was observed between control and Spirulina honey samples in terms of bioaccessibility of the total phenolics (p ≤ 0.01). Among the detected phenolic compounds (15 phenolics), acacetin (48.55%) and pinocembrine (47.13%) were the highest. Total phenolic content of the honey can be enriched up to 20% by feeding of the honey bees with 10% of Spirulina. Saccharose content in Spirulina honey was lower than the control honey as 4.42%. [Display omitted] •Production of green-colored algal honey naturally made by the bees as novel product.•Improved antioxidant capacity of honey by algae enrichment.•Elevation of omega fatty acid content in honey as a novel component by Spirulina.•Invented a novel bee feed with a high nutritional capacity.•Improved bioaccessibility of antioxidant compounds in algal honey by bee metabolism.