What does the Honey Metagenomic DNA Analysis (MDA) show?
Honey plants
- Honey contains the DNA of all the species bees come in contact with.
- DNA analysis can identify over 5,000 plant species from a honey sample.
- The study includes pollen, nectar, and honeydew plants.
Identification of plants in honey DNA analysis
How does honey DNA analysis work?
- The sample reaches to the laboratory
- HMF concentration and moisture percentage are measured
- DNA (of plants, animals, bacteria, insects, fungi, etc.) is extracted
- Amount and quality of DNA is evaluated
- DNA sequences are determined by sequencing technology
- Based on DNA sequences, the composition of the organisms in the honey is analyzed
- DNA composition of the honey is compared against an authentic honey profile database
Honeybee pathogens and parasites
- Honey contains DNA from pests (bacteria, fungi, and arthropods).
- DNA analysis detects 20 important pathogens or parasites in a honey sample.
- The analysis includes agents of American and European foulbrood, Nosematosis, Chalkbrood and other diseases.
Determination of bee pathogens and parasites
What can be found out with honey DNA analysis?
- What kind of plant’s nectar and pollen the honey is made from?
- What kind of plants have more DNA in the analyzed sample compared to the profiles of other honeys?
- Can honey be monofloral on some plants?
- Are there traces of DNA of pathogens/parasites associated with bees in the analyzed sample?
- Information about the honey's quality, authenticity, and geographical origin.
Quality, authenticity and origin of honey
- The DNA profile of authentic honey consists of DNA sequences from plants, bacteria, fungi, and insects.
- Based on the DNA profile, the quality, authenticity and geographical origin of the honey are evaluated.
- Changes and manipulations with honey DNA profile are easily detectable.
Detection of honey adulteration
Detection of honey adulteration is carried out in two stages:
- The amount and quality of honey DNA is evaluated. Authentic and unprocessed honey contains high concentrations of undegraded DNA.
- The honey DNA profile is compared against a comprehensive honey DNA database. Deviations can be in both the species composition and quantitative ratio of different species.
Each honey has a unique composition and does not resemble entirely to any other honey. The DNA profiles of authentic honeys with naturally diverse compositions share certain common patterns. Significant deviations in honey DNA profiles are identified using a machine-learning method of data analysis. Therefore, changes and manipulations with the honey DNA profile are easily detectable.
Advantages of honey DNA metagenomic analysis
The MDA test analyzes entire DNA contained in the honey, which opens a significantly wider view of the sample than, for example, PCR or DNA barcoding tests.
The MDA test detects the presence of DNA traces of more than 10,000 different species of plants, bacteria, fungi, insects, mammals, etc. in the honey sample.
In addition to pollen plants, MDA also detects nectar and honeydew plants, and DNA traces of bee pathogens or parasites.
To analyze the DNA profile of honey, 10-20 million DNA sequences are created, which provides comprehensive information about the honey sample.
The DNA profile of each honey is unique and cannot be imitated artificially. During MDA, machine learning methods are used to detect deviations from DNA profiles of previously analyzed authentic (reference) honeys.
The power of honey DNA test in numbers
The number of DNA sequences per sample
10-20 million
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The number of species that can be identified (plants, bacteria, fungi, arthropods etc.)
10,000+
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Plant species whose DNA can be detected with the test
5,000+
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The most important honey bee pathogens and parasites
20
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The result report of honey DNA analysis is sent electronically in two files:
Honey DNA Analysis (MDA) Ordering
Kairi Raime PhD
Kaarel Krjutškov PhD
Signe Mölder MSc
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