# Characterization of Sidr (_Ziziphus_ spp.) Honey from Different Geographical Origins
###### Abstract  
The current investigation was conducted to assess the melissopalynological, physicochemical, and biochemical properties, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities as well as total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of 794 Sidr honey samples collected from the Saudi market that had been imported from 12 different countries. Testing Sidr honey from different countries showed different levels of growth suppression observed against five drug resistant bacterial strains. The pathogenic strains were _Staphylococcus aureus_, _Streptococcus mutans_, _Klebsiella pneumoniae_, _Escherichia coli_ and _Pseudomonas aeruginosa_. The antimicrobial activity showed growth suppression levels which varied according to the origin of the honey. The comparative study of Sidr honeys revealed a strong correlation between total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and significant radical scavenging activities in particular Egyptian and Saudi Arabian honeys. The melissopalynological and physicochemical properties of different Sidr honeys complied with the recommendations of the WHO _Codex Alimentarius_, the European Union standards for honey quality, and the Gulf Technical Regulation on honey (GSO 147:2008-Standards Store-GCC Standardization Organization). It was concluded that Sidr honey from different geographical areas has the capacity to suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria and perform significant radical scavenging activities.  
melissopalynological and physiochemical analysis; antibacterial activity; antioxidant activity; Sidr honey +
Footnote †: journal: _Sciences_  
and phenolic acids and flavonoids [5]. The beehive products (honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, and beeswax) contain several [6; 7] important medicinal compounds. Major honey bioactive compounds include phenolics, methylglyoxal, royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), and oligosaccharides that have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities [7]. The presence of novel antimicrobial compounds in natural authentic honey is well documented [7; 8; 9]. Adulteration of honey either by adding cheap sugar syrup or by feeding the bees on sugar solutions is a major worldwide problem that leads to the loss of many biological properties of honey including its effective antimicrobial activity [10].  
Therefore, the potential use of specific types of fresh authentic honey as candidate antibacterial agents is based on their physicochemical characteristics. Although monofloral honey is appreciated and it is also more expensive [11], [PERSON] & [PERSON] (2018) [12] report that volatile compounds in honey come from its diverse floral origin and could be the source of its biological activity and medical importance.  
Sidr (_Ziziphus_ spp.) honey is produced from _Ziziphus_ trees [13]. In Saudi Arabia, this is the most valuable honey, and customers believe that this type of honey is superior to other honey imported from other countries around the world or produced locally [13].  
Several Sidr honey are produced in different parts of the world. However, the available information on their physical and chemical properties is limited [14]. This honey is often subjected to adulteration due to limited availability and its high price [15]. Honey color and composition are dependent greatly on the geographical and botanical origins [10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16]. In addition, geographical and botanical origins are the two main criteria for general honey authenticity according to different national standards on honey authenticity and the _Codex Alimentarius_ Standard [17]. Therefore, the current investigation was conducted to assess the melissopalynological, physicochemical, and biochemical properties, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities as well as total phenolic and total flavonoid contents of Sidr sider honey samples collected from the Saudi market that had been imported from 12 zones in different countries.