The Australian Honey Research Unit was established in 1993 to further research on physico-chemical and biological aspects of Australian floral honeys. The research team has received significant funding from RIRDC Honeybee Program, ARC and The University of Queensland.
Dr Bruce D'Arcy is Director of the Australian Honey Research Unit.
The research team collaborates with industry on a number of projects. One area of interest is the antimicrobial activity of Australian honeys, particularly jelly bush (Leptospermum ssp.) honey, including comparision with the other antimicrobial Leptospermum honey, New Zealand manuka honey. In addition, the team has recently completed a project on the chemical fingerprinting of species-specific floral honeys using volatiles. A Floral Certification Test was developed, which draws on a significant data base of chemical information on volatiles in Australian honey. Finally, an on-going area of interest is the rheological and crystallization characteristics of Australian honey.
Present projects include the study of antioxidant flavonoids and other polyphenols in Australian floral honeys (RIRDC Honeybee Program funded), and the extrusion cooking of starch-honey mixtures (UQ funded). A recently commenced RIRDC Honeybee Program funded project on the ultrasonic liquefaction of candied honey is hoped to solve the Australian honey industry's problem with candied honey as part of the packaging process.