This investigation concerned the question of whether honeybees collect bacteria that are beneficial for humans from the flowers
that contribute to formation of their honey. Bacteria originating from the types of flowers involved, and found in different
anatomic parts of the bees, in larvae, and in honey of different types, were sampled during a 2-year period. 16S rRNA sequencing
of isolates and clones was employed. A novel bacterial flora composed of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) of the genera
Lactobacillus and
Bifidobacterium, which originated in the honey stomach of the honeybee, was discovered. It varied with the sources of nectar and the presence
of other bacterial genera within the honeybee and ended up eventually in the honey. It appeared that honeybees and the novel
LAB flora may have evolved in mutual dependence on one another. It was suggested that honey be considered a fermented food
product because of the LAB involved in honey production. The findings are seen as having clear implications for future research
in the area, as providing a better understanding the health of honeybees and of their production and storage of honey, and
as having clear relevance for future honeybee and human probiotics.
The laboratory work was partly performed at the Department of Food Technology, Engineering and Nutrition, Lund University,
Lund, Sweden.