Temporal variability of urban polyfloral honey reveals climatic and floral influences on bioactive properties

Introduction Urban honey has emerged as a valuable component of sustainable agro-food systems, with potential to reflect environmental and climatic conditions affecting food quality and safety. While floral origin is a determining factor in honey quality, the influence of interannual climate variability-especially periods of drought-on the chemical and functional composition of urban honey in tropical regions has been understudied. Methodology Samples of urban polyfloral honey (MB1-MB9) collected between 2018 and 2024 from the same apiary in Guayaquil, Ecuador, under different seasonal conditions were analyzed. Physicochemical parameters, sugar composition, amino acid profile, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and antibacterial activity were evaluated. Standard analytical methods and multivariate statistical approaches were applied. Results and discussion The results revealed significant temporal variability despite consistent geographic origin and management conditions, reflecting the combined influence of harvest month, seasonal conditions, floral resource availability, and interannual climatic variability. Honeys harvested between 2021 and early 2023 showed higher bioactive compound levels and antioxidant capacity, whereas samples collected during 2023–2024 exhibited reduced bioactivity, coinciding with prolonged drought conditions. Differences were also associated with harvest month and seasonal climatic conditions, particularly dry and rainy periods characteristic of the tropical climate of Guayaquil. Based on compositional and multivariate analysis, samples were classified as honey samples with physicochemical characteristics consistent with floral honey (MB1, MB2, MB3, MB7, MB9), intermediate floral–honeydew (MB5, MB6, MB8), and with strong honey samples showing physicochemical characteristics consistent with honeydew honey (MB4). These shifts suggest changes in foraging resources under climatic stress, influencing honey composition and functional properties. Conclusion The findings highlight that urban honey composition is highly sensitive to environmental variability, supporting its use as a chemical and functional indicator of food quality and safety under changing climatic conditions. This study provides relevant insights for monitoring honey quality and promoting resilience in sustainable urban agro-food systems.