From bioactive evidence to functional food development: barriers to the commercial translation of stingless bee honey: a narrative review

Honey Yahdillah (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Sciences, Universitas Internasional Batam, Batam, Riau Islands)
Miftahul Jannah (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Sciences, Universitas Internasional Batam, Batam, Riau Islands)
Ayu Nirmala Sari (Biology Department, Science and Technology Faculty, Universitas Islam Negeri Ar-Raniry, Kota Banda Aceh, Aceh)

AcTion: Aceh Nutrition Journal
Vol 11, No 3 (2026): September

The growing interest in functional foods has increased attention to stingless bee (kelulut) honey; however, its translation into standardized commercial products remains limited. This narrative review synthesized 25 studies included after screening from searches of PubMed and ScienceDirect conducted on 2 September 2026, covering studies published from January 2015 to August 2026 to evaluate evidence on its bioactive properties, quality determinants, and translational barriers. Current evidence supports the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of kelulut honey, whereas evidence for antidiabetic, anti-obesity, and wound-healing effects remains largely preclinical. Variability in bee species, botanical origin, post-harvest handling, and analytical methods limits evidence comparability and product standardization. Limitations in the species- and region-specific calibration of existing Indonesian quality criteria, together with the limited validation of authentication methods, may constrain commercialization. Stingless bee honey shows potential as a functional food ingredient, but further validation of quality criteria, authentication methods, processing approaches, and human clinical evidence is needed to support evidence-based commercial translation.