Research shows the medicinal potential of 'açaí honey' and the sustainable use of biodiversity 6rk3a
The study is a partnership between PCT Guamá and UFPA and finds that the product has high antioxidant capacity, as well as anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. 1395o
An unprecedented study conducted by researchers from the Center for the Valorization of Bioactive Compounds of the Amazon (Cvacba), linked to the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and located in the Guamá Science and Technology Park (PCT), revealed that honey obtained from the nectar of açaí palm flowers (Euterpe oleracea) has high bioactive properties. In other words, the product has high antioxidant capacity, as well as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor effects.
In Belém, the research has the institutional partnership of Embrapa Eastern Amazon and the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). According to PCT Guamá, the honey is produced by Africanized bees (Apis mellifera), with antioxidant capacity up to four times greater than other honeys, including aroeira honey, considered one of the most potent in the country.
The research was published in the international scientific journal Molecules and compared samples of açaí honey collected in the Pará municipalities of Breu Branco and Santa Maria with monofloral honeys from other regions of Brazil, such as aroeira honey (Minas Gerais), cipó-uva (Federal District), timbó (Rio Grande do Sul), and mangrove (also in Pará).
Unique flavor, color, and functionality
In addition to its therapeutic properties, açaí honey also stood out for its sensory characteristics: a color ranging from amber to dark, lower sweetness, and flavor notes reminiscent of coffee, which were well evaluated by experts in sensory tests. To be classified as monofloral honey in Brazil, it must contain more than 45% pollen from a single plant species, a criterion met by the samples analyzed at PCT Guamá, which showed a high concentration of Euterpe oleracea pollen.
According to professor and researcher from Cvacba, Nilton Muto, coordinator of the study, the differentiated chemical composition of açaí honey is related to the presence of compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and batilole heptacosanol, which have proven action against oxidative processes in the body. “These substances have the potential to prevent inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancers. Açaí honey stands out as a genuinely Amazonian product, with added functional and nutritional value,” he states.
Biodiversity as a driver of innovation
The research also highlights the strategic role of açaí honey in valuing the biodiversity of the Amazon and promoting sustainable production chains. The presence of bees in açaí cultivation significantly improves the pollination of the palm and, consequently, the productivity of the fruits, increasing production by up to 30% in managed areas. Thus, in addition to generating a high-value product, the practice contributes to the sustainable management of the forest and strengthens the local bioeconomy.
The study was developed under the Agrobio project, funded by the Amazon Fund/BNDES. The Fund focuses on innovation based on Amazonian biodiversity and promoting sustainable production models based on scientific and traditional knowledge.
Potential for new therapeutic and cosmetic products
The bioactive compounds identified in açaí honey pave the way for the development of phytotherapeutics, natural cosmetics, and functional foods.
The article explains that the antimicrobial and healing properties of the product may also inspire new applications in medicine, although clinical tests are needed to validate its therapeutic efficacy.
“We are preparing partnership proposals with companies in the cosmetics, functional foods, and phytotherapeutics sectors to transform this knowledge into market-accessible innovation,” explains Muto.
In addition to honey from Apis mellifera, the study highlights the importance of promoting meliponiculture (rational breeding of native stingless bees) as a complementary, sustainable, and culturally rooted activity in the Amazon. Species such as Melipona, Scaptotrigona, and Trigona produce honeys with high nutritional and medicinal value, with great commercial potential and ecological importance.
Scientific contribution and regional development
The data obtained provide for clinical trials, regulatory processes with Anvisa, and, in the future, the inclusion of açaí honey in formal production chains. The expectation is that the product will consolidate as one of the exponents of the Amazonian bioeconomy, associating technological innovation, valuing standing forests, and generating income for local populations.
“Our goal is to advance the biological validation of açaí honey through in vivo and clinical studies, as well as to establish bridges between science and the market with a focus on sustainability and valuing biodiversity,” concludes Muto.
“PCT Guamá has played a fundamental role in promoting innovation based on Amazonian biodiversity. This study is the result of collaboration and commitment to sustainable development that generates value for society and the environment. These results show that it is possible to produce and conserve at the same time,” comments João Weyl, president of the Guamá Foundation, a Science and Technology Institution (ICT) that manages the complex.
Reference in innovation in the Amazon
PCT Guamá is an initiative of the Government of Pará, through the State Secretariat of Science, Technology and Higher, Professional and Technological Education (Sectet), in partnership with UFPA and the Federal Rural University of the Amazon (Ufra), managed by the Guamá Foundation. It is the first technological park in the Northern region of Brazil and seeks to stimulate applied research and innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship to improve the quality of life of the population.
Located on the banks of the Guamá River, which gives its name to the complex, PCT is situated between the campuses of the two universities and has a rich biodiversity ecosystem, extending over 72 hectares, designated for buildings and the Environmental Protection Area (APA) of the Metropolitan Region of Belém. The complex has more than 30 resident companies (physically installed in the Park), over 40 associates (linked to the Park but not physically installed), 12 research and development laboratories for processes and products, and a technical school.
PCT Guamá is part of the National Association of Promoters of Innovative Enterprises (Anprotec) and the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (Iasp), and is part of the largest innovation ecosystem.
