Honeypot ants - the latest fungi fighters

The confirmation of antimicrobial properties in honey produced by Australian honeypot ants could signal a future avenue for developing new treatments against bacterial and fungal infections. Even at low concentrations, honeypot ant honey showed effectiveness against well-known pathogens (including Staphylococcus aureus) and certain against some species of fungi.

The next challenge is to identify the active compounds in this honey which may one day be the basis of new drugs or treatments.

Indigenous Australians have used this honey to treat minor ailments for centuries - it’s just recently that the compounds responsible for its healing properties have been understood.

Is there a faster way we can test and assess both traditional and non-traditional foods for these miracle compounds once we know what they are?