Digital Commons Network^™

Reclaiming Myth: Feminist Reinterpretations And The Creation Of A More Inclusive Narrative, Isabella Iurillo

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role of mythological reinterpretation and its expansion of the literary canon to inclusively reflect human experiences. According to scholars of myth such as Kalloli, Tyagi, and Armstrong, myths are meant to reflect enduring human experiences, making them relatable classics even after thousands of years. However, as the majority of mythological women are largely silenced, misrepresented, or villainized in ancient myth, this reflection is both incomplete and distorted. This thesis examines three contemporary feminist reinterpretations-- Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes, Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, and Circe by Madeline Miller—each of which gives a voice …

Ai In Education: Teaching, Learning, And Thinking With Machines, Mary Strawderman, Jesse Senechal, Eric Ekholm, Jason Vest, Moe Greene, Dawn Johnson, Daniel Case, Oscar Keyes, Yaoying Xu, Robert Godwin-Jones, Kait Donahue, Kim Elmore, Haley Hendershot, Amy Corning, Paulina Guerrero, Samaher Aljudaibi, Justin Thurston

AI in Education: Teaching, Learning, and Thinking with Machines

This collection from the Humanities Research Center (HRC) Digital Technology in Education (DTE) working group arose from questions around how rapidly emerging generative AI tools are reshaping teaching and learning in K-12 and higher education. The contributions, loosely organized around ethics, policy, and practice, adopt a humanities lens to probe how generative AI and other emerging digital technologies impact human values, experiences, and social structures, surfacing their philosophical, ethical, cultural, and societal implications for schooling. From the perspectives of practitioners and interdisciplinary scholars, the pieces showcase various dimensions of AI's creative potential in education, while also questioning its limitations and …

Comparing The Development And Viability Of Horseshoe Crab Eggs Laid In Beach And Salt Marsh Habitats, Daniel A. Sasson, Christopher C. Chabot, Jo-Marie Kasinak, Jennifer Mattei Ph.D., Elizabeth U. Scott, Fletcher K. Hall, Michael R. Kendrick

Biology Faculty Publications

The horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, has recently been found to spawn regularly in salt marshes, despite the long-held assumption that salt marsh sediments are not conducive for embryonic development. Here, we tested the prediction that eggs laid in the salt marsh would develop more slowly and be less viable than eggs laid on beaches. We flagged the nests of spawning horseshoe crabs in the marshes and beaches of three states—South Carolina, Connecticut, and New Hampshire—and then excavated those nests one or three weeks later. We staged the excavated embryos to compare developmental progress between marshes and beaches. We found …

Attention's Loop: A Sculptor's Reverie On The Coexistence Of Substance And Spirit, Elizabeth King, Katherine Wetzel

Attention's Loop

This is a book about attention and memory. I am a sculptor, so it is also a book about size, dirt, artifice, work, and eye. The text is a set of stories and interruptions that pile up to make a play of overlapping loops. My organizing principle is the image of the round-trip, so one may open the book and step into it at any point. Most of Katherine Wetzel’s photographs are of a single sculpture. It is a self-portrait, a particular kind of round-trip, and it is small: one-half life-size. Called Pupil, it is jointed and movable, and …

A Civil Rights Defense Of Gentrification, Carol Brown

Law Faculty Publications

Scholars across disciplines such as sociology, economics, and urban planning are writing about gentrification. The literature and beliefs surrounding gentrification are very diverse, but what often connects the various views is a negative perception that gentrification always disadvantages and displaces low-income minority residents, physically or culturally. But the connotations of race and class associated with gentrification in the minds of many do not align with the empirical research and scholarly findings. Thus far in law, there is no thick legal account of gentrification and its legal or policy implications. Much of the legal writing is predicated upon an inaccurate conception …

Living The Good Life In The Anthropocene, Danielle Stokes

Law Faculty Publications

The Stockholm Resilience Centre has concluded that the number of “planetary boundaries” we are crossing has increased from three in 2009, when the Centre’s researchers first introduced the concept, to six in 2023. Crossing these boundaries means humans are changing basic attributes of planetary systems to the point of risking the future of civilization. And the distinction between “safe” and “just” planetary boundaries raises questions regarding how to conceptualize the “good life.” In this latest in a biannual series of essays, members of the Environmental Law Collaborative explore conceptions of the “good” as well as the various elements necessary to …

Department Of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University: Historical And Personal Reflections, Richard A. Glennon

VCU University History Books

This book presents a historical account of Virginia Commonwealth University's Department of Medicinal Chemistry, compiled and recollected in 2025 by Professor Emeritus Richard A. Glennon. Included are personal reflections alongside a historical overview of the department's origins and faculty, as well as newly developed programs and initiatives.

Contemporary Normative Values For Five Common Static Standing Tasks On Firm And Compliant Floor Surfaces In Children Two To Thirteen Years, Nancy Darr

Funded Scholarship

Background/Objectives: Static upright tasks, including standing unsupported (SU), eyes closed (SEC), feet together (SFT), tandem (TS), and single limb (SLS), are routinely examined in children and are included in many norm-referenced measures. Existing normative values for these standing tasks may not apply to contemporary children and have not been established across wide age ranges. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate developmental trajectories of and relationships between four static standing positions (SPs [SU, SFT, TS, SLS]) in children aged 2 through 13 years who are developing typically. The effects of altered sensory input, including floor surface (firm and …

Repositioning Antimalarial Drugs As Anticancer Agents: Focus On Tafenoquine, Chris Barton

Funded Scholarship

Due to the expensive and lengthy process of drug design and approval, drug repurposing (or repositioning) has become another option for identifying preexisting molecules that may be used for alternative purposes. Recently, some antimalarial compounds have been shown to display efficacy against cancer cell proliferation. In this study, we provide evidence to suggest that multiple preexisting antimalarial drugs can reduce the viability of human cancer cells in culture. Furthermore, we provide the first evidence that one antimalarial, Tafenoquine (LD50 = 9.6 μM in HCT116 cells), is capable of decreasing viability with an efficacy comparable to Etoposide (LD50 = 15.2 μM …

Pedagogical Idealism, Race, And The Specter Of Africa In Josefina Aldecoa’S Historia De Una Maestra And Donato Ndongo’S Las Tinieblas De Tu Memoria Negra, Parker Lawson

Funded Scholarship

This article examines two contemporary Spanish novels, Josefina Aldecoa’s Historia de una maestra (1990) and Donato Ndongo’s Las tinieblas de tu memoria negra (1987), to assess the status of pedagogical idealism and experimentation with particular attention to Equatorial Guinea. Where previous scholarly attention to Aldecoa’s novel focuses on the protagonist’s credentials as a progressive pedagogue, this article draws attention to Gabriela’s etapa guineana to argue that the text cripples under the weight of postcolonial analysis as regards race, religion, class, and language. Drawing the novel into comparison with Ndongo’s text, the article argues that Spanish colonial pedagogy flattened, or sought …

Spectral Divergence Prioritizes Key Classes, Genes, And Pathways Shared Between Substance Use Disorders And Cardiovascular Disease, Everest Castaneda, Elissa Chesler, Erich J. Baker

Funded Scholarship

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are heterogeneous diseases with 

overlapping biological mechanisms and often present with co-occurring disease, 

such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Gene networks associated with SUDs 

also implicate additional biological pathways and may be used to stratify 

disease subtypes. Node and edge arrangements within gene networks impact 

comparisons between classes of disease, and connectivity metrics, such as 

those focused on degrees, betweenness, and centrality, do not yield sufficient 

discernment of disease network classification. Comparatively, the graph 

spectrum’s use of comprehensive information facilitates hypothesis testing 

and inter-disease clustering by using a larger range of graph characteristics. 

By adding a connectivity-based …

Influence Of Virtual Reality On Lower Extremity Joint Kinematics During Overground Walking, Hunter Derby, Nathan Conner, Adam C. Knight, Harish Chander

Funded Scholarship

The inability to regain balance following a trip-induced event is one of the leading causes of falls and fall-related injuries in older adults. Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to expose individuals to realistic environments with minimal injury risk compared to real-world exposures. The purpose of this study was to compare lower extremity joint kinematics during overground walking when exposed to real and virtually generated trip obstacles. A total of 14 healthy participants [7 male, 7 female; age: 23.46 ± 3.31 years; height: 173.85 ± 8.46 cm; mass: 82.19 ± 11.41 kg; shoe size (men’s): 9.03 ± 2.71 s] were …

Group And State-Specific Estimation In Animal Movement Models Using A Bayesian Approach, Anita Bhandari Sharma

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This research study investigates statistical approaches for modeling the movement patterns of white-tailed deer in Louisiana using GPS tracking data. We start by classifying the latent behavioral states using a hidden Markov model (HMM) and then integrate those inferred states into a state-dependent step selection framework to evaluate the land cover preferences. Standard HMMs, however, assume the same movement patterns for all animals, overlooking the differences due to characteristics such as sex, age, breeding season, etc.

To address this limitation, we extend the modeling framework to incorporate the group-level structure defined by similar characteristics or conditions to assess whether such …

Degree Of Rurality Moderates The Association Of Sedentary Time With Cognitive Function In Rural Patients With Cardiac Diseases And Depressive Symptoms, Chin-Yen Lin, Jia-Rong Wu, Geunyeong Cha, Junghee Kang, Martha J. Biddle, Misook L. Chung, Ashmita Thapa, Mary Kay Rayens, Linda Gibson-Young, Debra K. Moser

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Prolonged sedentary time has been linked to impaired cognitive outcomes. However, the impact of sedentary time on cognitive function at different degrees of rurality is not yet well understood in patients with cardiac diseases and depressive symptoms.

Purpose: To determine whether degree of rurality moderates the relationship between sedentary time and cognitive function.

Methods: This study includes 135 coronary heart disease or heart failure patients, primarily residing in rural Kentucky, including Appalachian areas, United States. Sedentary time was measured by the average daily sedentary time (in minutes) using accelerometry (ActiGraph). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Blind. …

Multifunctional Nanoscale Pigments: Emerging Risks And Circular Strategies For A Sustainable Future, Ajay Vikram Singh, Preeti Bhardwaj, Vimal Kishore, Sunil Choudhary, Akihiko Hirose, Neha Gupta, Madleen Busse, Swarn Lata Singh, Christopher J. Osgood

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The substantial penetration of nanoscale pigments into a range of sectors has changed the dynamics of industries such as medical, material science, and many more. Nonetheless, their persistence in the environment and probable adverse impacts on health require that an assessment of such risks be formulated considering the One Health perspective. This viewpoint considers the crossing of boundaries of progress in the nanotechnology of nanoscale pigments with environmental, animal, and human health and emphasizes the significance of collaborative activity. Traditional perspectives explain the distribution of pigment history, while the nanotechnology of today's accessibility poses problems regarding utilization, toxicities, and interactions …

Preservation Of Genetic Diversity And Selection Over A Century In A Coral Reef Fish (Taeniamia Zosterophora) In The Philippines, Kyra S. Fitz, Rene A. Abesamis, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Abner A. Bucol, René D. Clark, Eric Garcia, Ivan R. Lopez, Sharon F. Magnuson, Marial J. Malabag, Richard N. Muallil, Lynne R. Parenti, Brendan R. Reid, Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Christopher E. Bird, Kent E. Carpenter, Malin L. Pinsky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Evaluating the evolutionary impacts of anthropogenic activity on populations is key to understanding species resiliency and to designing effective conservation strategies. Sequencing DNA from historical specimens provides the opportunity to establish a historical baseline and empirically assess changes in genetic diversity, changes in effective population size, and selection over time. Here, we sequenced historical and contemporary samples of the cardinalfish Taeniamia zosterophora collected in 1908 and in 2021-2022 across two sites with differing human impact in the Philippines. At both sites, genetic diversity increased over time, with contemporary samples having significantly higher Watterson's Θ than historical samples. This diversity increase …

Description Of All Stages Of A New Tick Species From California Haemaphysalis Vespertina (Acari: Ixodidae), With Redescription Of H. Leporispalustris Packard, 1869 Adults And Phylogenetic Relationships Among Related U.S. Taxa, Andrea Egizi, Santiago Nava, Angie Nakano, Megan E. M. Saunders, Lauren P. Maestas, Autumn D. Angelus, Bruce Noden, Robyn M. Nadolny, Waheed I. Bajwa, Charles Lubelcyzk, Chanakya R. Bhosale, Susan Paskewitz, Holly D. Gaff, Lorenza Beati

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

All active stages of Haemaphysalis vespertina sp. nov. (Acari: Ixodidae), a tick previously identified as H. leporispalustris Packard, 1869, are described from specimens collected on the vegetation and from leporids in California and Oregon. The adults of H. leporispalustris Packard, 1969 are redescribed based on type material. Adults of the two species can be distinguished by their overall size, the dorsal shape of palpal segment II, the number and shape of dorsal and ventral setae on palpal segment II, the number of spurs on coxae II, the length of setae on scutum, legs and coxae, and the pattern of scutal …

Heterotrophy Of Particulate Organic Matter Subsidies Contributes To Divergent Bleaching Responses In Tropical Sclaractinian Corals, Connor R. Love, Kelly E. Speare, Michael D. Fox, Veronica Z. Radice, Kelton W. Mcmahon, Gretchen E. Hofmann,, David L. Valentine, Marie E. Strader

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Heterotrophic feeding on plankton and particulate organic matter (POM) by tropical Scleractinian corals is known to aid in the resistance and recovery from thermally induced bleaching. However, the relative importance of heterotrophy in promoting bleaching resistance and recovery is likely to vary based on ecological context and the severity of heat stress. In 2019, the Pacific Island of Mo'orea experienced mass coral mortality during a widespread marine heatwave. Many Acropora hyacinthus colonies on the shallow reef slope (5 m) were resistant to bleaching, while colonies on the deeper fore reef (14 m) often bleached and subsequently recovered, despite similar thermal …

Nutritional And Antioxidant Properties Of Two Species Of Edible Scarab Beetles (Cetonia Aurata And Oryctes Rhinoceros), S. S. Mwanza, C. M. Mudalungu, N. M. Kimani, H. O. Mokaya, B. O. Ochieng, S. Juma, C. M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible scarab beetles are important repositories for nutritive and bioactive compounds, but this information remains largely unexplored. This study explored the nutritional and therapeutic properties of two edible scarab beetles from three different locations (Embu, Murangâa and Nairobi Counties) in Kenya. Morphological and molecular characterization of the wild collected larvae revealed two important edible beetle species (Cetonia aurata L. and Oryctes rhinoceros L.). The larvae of both species are excellent source of crude proteins (44% for O. rhinoceros and 63% for C. aurata). The larvae of O. rhinoceros were rich in minerals, particularly calcium (15.75-22.65 mg/g) and potassium (13.62-22.88 mg/g). …

Mathematical And Computational Modeling For Organic And Insect Frass Fertilizer Production: A Systematic Review, Malontema Katchali, Edward Richard, Henri E.Z. Tonnang, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Dennis Beesigamukama, Kennedy Senagi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Organic fertilizers have been identified as a sustainable agricultural practice that can enhance productivity and reduce environmental impact. Recently, the European Union defined and accepted insect frass as an innovative and emerging organic fertilizer. In the wider domain of organic fertilizers, mathematical and computational models have been developed to optimize their production and application conditions. However, with the advancement in policies and regulations, modelling has shifted towards efficiencies in the deployment of these technologies. Therefore, this paper reviews and critically analyzes the recent developments in the mathematical and computation modeling that have promoted various organic fertilizer products including insect frass. …

Contribution Of Different Frass Fertilizer Products On Enhanced Growth, Yield And Nutrient Quality Of Broccoli [Brassica Oleracea], Noella Kagehi, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Mathew P. Ngugi, Sevgan Subramanian, Fathiya M. Khamis

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Vegetables are crucial for food security and income, but in developing countries their production is hindered by low soil fertility. Although the insect frass fertilizer is a potential solution, its use is constrained by limited product choices. Unlike conventional fertilizers, which are available in different forms, the insect frass fertilizer is mostly available in solid form. Here, we evaluated the effects of different black soldier fly frass fertilizer (BSFFF) products on broccoli [Brassica oleracea] growth, yield, and nutritional profiles. Solid, liquid BSFFF, chitin-fortified solid BSFFF, chitin-fortified liquid BSFFF, and commercial organic fertilizer (Safi) were applied at rates equivalent to 250 …

The Genomic Landscape Of Hermetia Illucens: Exploring The Potential Of The Black Soldier Fly Through Molecular Insights, Peter Muchina, Johnson Kinyua, Fathiya Khamis, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Grum Gebreyesus, Zexi Cai, Goutam Sahana

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Abstract The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has garnered significant attention recently due to its potential applications in waste management, animal feed production, frass fertilizer production, and biotechnology. Despite its numerous advantages, genomic resources for BSF remain limited, underscoring the necessity for continued genomic exploration. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the genomic landscape of BSF, emphasizing the critical role of genomics in understanding its biology and optimizing its applications. We highlighted recent advancements in BSF genome sequencing, transcriptomic and proteomic studies, and the characterization of the gut microbiome, revealing its implications for BSF health and production efficiency. …

Earth Observations Reveal Impacts Of Climate Variability On Maize Cropping Systems In Sub-Saharan Africa, Adomas Liepa, Michael Thiel, Hannes Taubenböck, Doris Klein, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Marcell K. Peters, Sarah Schönbrodt-Stitt, Insa Otte, Tobias Landmann, Zeyaur R. Khan, Michael Ochieng Obondo, Frank Chidawanyika, Emily A. Martin, Tobias Ullmann

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

In Kenya, climate variability and change threaten smallholder, rainfed farms, with crop failures, yield reductions, and pest infestations. Efficient agroecological strategies, such as Push-Pull intercropping, offer documented benefits including pest control, improved soil fertility, and water conservation compared to traditional maize monocropping. To date, no studies exist comparing traditional maize monocropping and Push-Pull intercropping using earth observation tools over several growing seasons in East Africa. Our research addresses this by harmonizing Landsat 7, 8, 9 with Sentinel-2 remote sensing time series from 2016 to 2023. Phenological metrics of 15 growing seasons are extracted based on a threshold method using the …

Knowledge And Acceptance Of Insects As Feed Source For Poultry Production In Conflict Affected Regions Of Cameroon, Chaba F. Ambele, Ngantu Harrison, Shaphan Y. Chia, Zewdu Abro, Komivi S. Akutse, Akum E. Akumeyam, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Globally, insects are increasingly being considered as sustainable and complementary feeds for poultry production. However, there is a lack of information on the perception of people in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities in Cameroon. This paper presents a survey on awareness and willingness to integrate insect meals in poultry feeds in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon. During this survey, purposive and snowball sampling procedures were used to collect data from 253 households. Among those interviewed, 32% were internally displaced people and 68% residents. In general, 97% of the respondents were aware that insects are a natural food source for …

Mapping Global Research On Mycotoxins In Aquafeed From Scientometric And Critical Perspectives, Menaga Meenakshisundaram, Sudarshan Shanmugam, Jimmy B. Mboya, Felix Sugantham, Kevin Obiero, Jonathan Munguti, Sunday Ekesi, Sevgan Subramanian, Shaphan Y. Chia, Dennis Beesigamukama, Rodrigue Yossa, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global significance of mycotoxins in aquaculture is evident. However, regional vulnerabilities, effects, and inconsistent regulations on mycotoxin contamination remain underexplored. This study integrates a scientometric analysis of research on mycotoxins in aquafeed, published from 1992 to 2023 in Web of Science, with a conventional review of their occurrence in aquafeed and feed ingredients. Bibliometric tools, VOSviewer, and biblioshiny, were used to analyze global research trends, collaborations, and themes. We found a total of 181 publications, authored by 938 researchers from 49 countries, with Brazil leading (25 publications). The Toxins journal accounted for the most publications (23). Aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin …

Edible Insects As A Sustainable Solution To Food Insecurity In Conflict-Ridden Regions Of Cameroon, F. C. Ambele, S. Y. Chia, D. Nsobinenyui, K. S. Akutse, N. H. Ngantu, A. E. Akumeyam, M. Kababu, C. M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Edible insects are integral part of traditional Cameroonian dishes and delicacies valued for their nutrition and health/medicinal benefits. This study documents indigenous knowledge, practices, cultural relevance and the willingness to explore the untapped potential of insect farming in two conflict-ridden regions of Cameroon. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 793 randomly selected households in the Northwest (NW) and Southwest (SW) regions. Our results revealed widespread awareness on the use of insects as food in the NW (91%) and SW (84%) regions. The most consumed species were the long-horned grasshoppers (90%), termites (85%), palm weevil larvae (76%), and giant …

Is Youth's Engagement In Agribusiness An Opportunity Or A Necessity? A Closer Look At The Situation In South Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Cool Dady Mangole, Paul Martin Dontsop Nguezet, Shiferaw Feleke, Victor Manyong, Kamala Kaghoma Christian, Zoumana Bamba, Tahirou Abdoulaye

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Despite the broad focus on necessity- and opportunity-driven entrepreneurship in research and policy, the entrepreneurial dichotomy within the agribusiness context has not been adequately addressed. This study contributes to closing this knowledge gap by examining youth's perceptions of agribusiness through the lens of the push-pull motivation framework. Results reveal that 47% of youth are driven into agribusiness by both necessity and opportunity, while 41% by necessity alone and only 12% by opportunity alone. Key factors shaping youth's perceptions include gender, education, food processing participation, agribusiness-related training, land ownership, monthly income, and family farming background. The result further identifies significant heterogeneity …

How Community Members In Uganda Perceive Controlled Human Infection Studies, Winfred Nazziwa, Stella Neema, Alison Elliot, Samson B. Kaboko, Julius Ecuru, Erisa Mwaka

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Controlled Human Infection studies are a new and uncommon way of conducting clinical research in low resource settings. Regardless of the supposed importance of human infection studies in advancing clinical research, there is still limited literature on community perceptions of this field of research, particularly in low-resource settings. An exploratory qualitative study involving 107 community members organized into 16 focussed groups was conducted in Kampala city and Buikwe district in central Uganda between September 2023 and March 2024. The groups comprised market vendors, secondary school teachers, university students, media professionals/journalists, mosques/church attendants and Community Advisory Board members. Data were analysed …

Spatial Analytics To Elucidate The Incubation Period And Drivers Of Visceral Leishmaniasis: Case Of Turkana County In Kenya, Kennedy Senagi, Maureen Nzilani, Evans Omondi, David P. Tchouassi, Tobias Landmann, Damaris Matoke-Muhia, Emmanuel Okunga, Barrington Gesimba, Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman, Dawn Maranga, Joseph M. Ndungu, Daniel Masiga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe and neglected tropical disease of public health concern. VL is fatal if not treated. Kenya has experienced multiple outbreaks of the disease since 2017. The underlying drivers of the disease risk dynamics, as well as the incubation period, are not well understood. Methods: We implemented statistical (spatial logistic regression and Bayesian spatial) and machine learning (random forest, support vector machine, AdaBoost, logistic regression, and extra trees) models to estimate the incubation period and predict areas of low/high risk in Turkana County, an endemic VL foci in Kenya. Two-year (2019–2020) patient data were sourced …

The Physicochemical Properties, Biochemical Makeup, And Health Benefits Of Honey Produced From Stingless Bees (Apidae: Meliponini), Belay Gezahegn Gebreyes, Tilahun A. Teka, Yetenayet Bekele Tola, Metekia Tamiru, Nkoba Kiatoko

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This review provides a comprehensive overview of stingless bee honey (SBH), focusing on its physicochemical properties, biochemical composition, and health benefits. SBH exhibits unique characteristics, including color, flavor, texture, and lower thermal stability, influenced by various botanical sources, stingless bee species, and diverse geographic and climatic conditions. These environmental factors, particularly floral diversity and climate, significantly affect SBH’s composition and functional properties, resulting in regional variations that impact its market value and health potential. The review details the composition ranges of SBH, which include moisture content (13.26%–41%), total acidity (12.59–270 meq/kg), reducing sugar (22.44%–78.95%), electrical conductivity (0.11–101.88 mS/cm), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) …