## 3 Discussion
### Volatile Chemical Composition
During the production of floral honey, the collected nectar is transformed, stored, and matured within the honeycombs, resulting in chemical modifications that influence its volatile profile [67]. These volatile compounds can also be affected by post-harvest processing, including the action of microorganisms present in the environment, which may alter their chemical composition [62; 68]. The presence of linalool and its derivatives is commonly reported in honey samples. Reference [69] investigated the relationship between _Melipona_ sp. honey and its floral sources and found linalool to be present in all samples analyzed. Other studies have also demonstrated that linalool derivatives originate from the flowers visited by bees [70]. Similarly, when analyzing honey produced by stingless bees, including _M. bicolor_, _M. marginata_, _M. scutellaris_, and _M. quadrifasciata_, it was observed that linalool-derived peaks were the most abundant, regardless of geographical origin or bee species [62]. When evaluating the volatile composition of honey produced by _M. subnitida_ and _M. scutellaris_ in the semi-arid region of Brazil, the presence of (\(Z\))-linalool oxide, hotrienol, rose oxide, nerol oxide, and \(\alpha\)-terpineol was also identified--compounds that were also detected in the present study. This similarity in chemical composition suggests potential common patterns in the biosynthesis of volatile compounds in stingless bee honey, reinforcing the influence of ecological and botanical factors on the formation of the aromatic profile of these products [71]. Additionally, in honey produced by _M. scutellaris_ in the state of Paraiba, the presence of phenethyl alcohol, 1-nonanol, nerol oxide, and \(\alpha\)-terpineol was also reported [63]. The compounds (\(Z\))-linalool oxide, hotrienol, nerol oxide, and \(\alpha\)-terpineol have also been found in honey produced by _M. subnitida_, _M. bicolor_, _M. marginata_, _M. scutellaris_, and _M. quadrifasciata_[62]. The presence of compounds such as hotrienol, linalool, (\(Z\))-linalool oxide, nerol oxide, and \(\alpha\)-terpineol in various samples, despite variations in their concentrations, suggests that these volatiles are frequently present in the aromatic profile of honey within the _Melipona_ genus. Future studies may further explore the relationship between botanical origin and the volatile composition of honey, as well as investigate how management and processingpractices influence the quality and properties of these honey samples, thereby expanding current knowledge on this product. Among the major floral compounds, phenethyl alcohol detected in _M. seminigra_ honey at 12.3% was also identified in significant proportions in the flowers of _Averrhoa carambola_ (1.6%) and _Senna occidentalis_ (13.5%). In addition, 1-nonanol, which accounted for 8.08% of the volatile composition in _M. interrupta_ honey, was also one of the predominant constituents in the floral profile of _Averrhoa carambola_ (1.8%). These correspondences highlight the importance of ecological interactions between bees and plants. It is worth noting that honey composition is highly variable and influenced by several factors that directly affect its quality and profile, such as bee species, floral origin, environmental conditions, and storage practices [72]. Thus, these findings suggest a correlation between volatile compounds emitted by flowers and the chemical profiles of stingless bee honey. The consistent presence of terpen, alcohols, and esters, both in floral samples and honey, reinforces the ecological relevance of the local flora and its role in determining the sensory and functional properties of these products [62]. However, when analyzing thirteen honey samples and their respective botanical origins, it was concluded that no single volatile compound could be used as a common marker between the honey and its corresponding flower [65].