CARACTERIZAÇÃO FÍSICO-QUÍMICA DO MEL DE MELIPONA FULVA LEPELETIER, 1836 (HIMENOPTERA: APIDAE: MELIPONINAE) UTILIZADA NA MELIPONICULTURA POR COMUNIDADES TRADICIONAIS DO ENTORNO DA CIDADE DE MACAPÁ-AP

The aim of this study was to determine physical chemical characteristics of honey from stingless bee Melipona fulva Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) utilized in meliponiculture for traditional communities from around of Macapa City, in the Amapa State. The physical chemical characteristics analyzed were moisture, ash, acidity, pH, conductivity and hydroxymetylfurfural. Results are shown like average ± standard deviation and compared with values limit presents in the legislation current and with literature for other species of stingless bee and Apis mellifera L. It was founds that the honey analyzed was not satisfactory at standard details for Brazilian Legislation about moisture index, ash and hydroxymetylfurfural. There is positive correlation between pH and moisture, between ash index and electrical conductivity and between ash and pH. A lower pH denotes honey more acidy which may difficulties the growing of microorganisms and compensate the high moisture. The honey analyzed present coloration bright, lower index of ash and lower electrical conductivity confirming the relation between the presence of conductors species, like minerals, and coloration. Processes that shift characteristics of the honey with aim of bring it at legislation build for the honeys of A. mellifera do not efficacy for all the parameters that, perhaps, far away of the values permitted for the legislation beyond mischaracterize the honey of stingless bee. It is suggested that, considered specific characteristics from honeys of meliponine, a specific legislation be created for attend at requisites these products. Keywords:  physicochemical; chemical analytic; meliponine; quality control of food.