Melipona Honey: Scientific Visibility and Research Opportunities

Abstract

Bibliometric analysis is a technique that applies mathematical and statistical tools to assess the interrelations and impacts of publications, authors, institutions and countries in a specific research area. To date, there have been several studies briefing the publication trends of bibliometric analysis in research specialties; however, no study has been carried out specifically on Melipona honey. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to establish the scientometric panorama of Melipona honey over time. Accordingly, Scopus database was chosen, considering the high impact of the papers. Articles from 2012 to 2022, wrote in English, covering the terms "Melipona" and "Honey" was taken. A total of 314 papers were retrieved, being Brazil the main author source, followed by Mexico and the United States. The foremost keywords were honey, Brazil, food products, bee, pollen, and meliponinae. The spotlight was physicalchemical, microbiological, and biological properties of M. subnitida, M. scutellaris, and M. quadrifasciata honey. The most researched topics were honey, food products, antioxidants, and antibacterial agents. The emergent themes were Melipona, honey samples, physicalchemical properties and arid regions. The basic and recurring themes weren’t uncovered. The five biomes (Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, and Pampa) were studied. Approximately 90 species were explored (20% of the estimate for Neotropical stingless bee species). These findings highlight the limited scientific focus on the Melipona genus and identify a significant opportunity for further research.