Abstract:
Loquat honey is a characteristic commercial honey variety from the Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area. This study measured the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, evaluated the antioxidant and bacteriostatic activities of this honey, and compared it with four other commercially available loquat honeys. The probiotic activity of Chongqing Three Gorges loquat honey was also investigated. The antioxidant capacity was assessed using DPPH and ABTS
+ radical scavenging assays. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and inhibition rate were used to characterize the bacteriostatic activity against Gram-positive bacteria (
Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (
Escherichia coli). An
in vitro co-culture method combined with growth curve analysis was employed to investigate the growth-promoting effects of different concentrations of Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey on
Lactobacillus bulgaricus,
Bifidobacterium adolescentis, and
Streptococcus thermophilus. The results indicated that loquat honey from the Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area and other commercially available samples exhibited varying degrees of antioxidant and bacteriostatic activity. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey were 51.63±1.09 mg/100 g (gallic acid equivalent) and 22.93±1.09 mg/100 g (rutin equivalent), respectively, both higher than those of commercially available samples. Regarding antioxidant capacity, the IC
50 values for DPPH and ABTS
+ radical scavenging of the honey samples were negatively correlated with both total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. All five loquat honey samples inhibited
Staphylococcus aureus and
Escherichia coli, with Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey exhibiting the strongest antibacterial effect, showing MICs of 128 mg/mL and 256 mg/mL
against S. aureus and
E. coli, respectively. Regarding probiotic activity, Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey promoted the growth of
L. bulgaricus,
S. thermophilus, and
B. adolescentis within the concentration ranges of 0-8 mg/mL, 0-10 mg/mL, and 0-6 mg/mL, respectively. The maximum specific growth rates and maximum biomass were observed at 6 mg/mL, 0 mg/mL, and 6 mg/mL, and at 8 mg/mL, 10 mg/mL, and 6 mg/mL for the three bacteria, respectively, indicating its potential prebiotic properties. These results demonstrate that Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey possesses high total phenolic and flavonoid contents, strong antioxidant and antibacterial activities, and potential probiotic activity, indicating its superior quality. This study provides fundamental scientific data and theoretical basis on the antioxidant, antibacterial, and probiotic activities of Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area loquat honey and their material basis, laying a foundation for further resource utilization and the development of functional products.