Survey and identification of micro organisms in Bee Honey samples collected from different plant sources and regions in Saudi Arabia

*M.W.Sadik1 and **M. A. M. Ali²

1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

(**Present Address: Honey bee Expert, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, League of Arab States, Ministry of

Agriculture, Riyadh, K.S.A.).

Corresponding Author E-mail: mwas20032004@yahoo.com 

Accepted 31 August, 2012

Abstract

Ninety one bee honey samples collected from different plant sources and regions of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were initially examined for d et ermin at ion  o f  t ot al  numbers of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, moulds and yeasts as well as the presence of Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Escherichia coli.O157:H7,   Clostridium   sulfite-reducers, Paenibacillus   larvae   larvae   andBacillus   spp. Were investigated. Moisture content and pH value were also determined for all the samples. The numbers of aerobic  mesophilic bacteria,  moulds  and  yeasts  were  less than  105 cfu/g  for  all  91 samples. Total coliforms, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp, E. coli. and Clostridium sulfite-reducers were not detected but Bacillus licheniformis , Bacillus wakoensis, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus sonorrensis, Bacillus spizizenii, Bacillus vallismortis, Bacillus sonorensis, Bacillus alcalophilus, Bacillus murimartini, Bacillus horti and  Aspergillus niger were detected. Paenibacillus larvae larvae w as no t d et ect ed i n all hon eys sampl es w h at ever n ati ve o r i mp o rt ed. The mean values for moisture content in bee honey samples examined were 13 to 18 % and the pH values were 3.30 to 5.00.

Keywords: bee honey, microorganisms; bacteria, fungi; yeasts, total coliforms, Salmonella spp, Shigella spp, E. coli, Clostridium sulfite-reducers, Paenibacillus larvae larvae, Bacillus spp, Moisture, pH values