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Honey is a valuable natural product with antioxidant properties, and its quality is influenced by various factors, including botanical origin and biofortification. Pine bud extracts, known for their antioxidant capacity, were explored to enhance the properties of acacia and polyflower honey. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pine bud extracts at different maturation stages on the moisture content, dry matter, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content (TPC) of acacia and polyflower honey. Acacia and polyflower honey were biofortified with pine bud extracts at three maturation stages (Stage I, Stage II, and Stage III). Various analyses were performed, including moisture and dry matter content determination, total phenolic content measurement using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and antioxidant activity assessment through DPPH radical scavenging. FTIR analysis was used to study the chemical composition of the biofortified honeys. Results showed that Acacia and polyflower honey maintained moisture content below 20%, with biofortification significantly enhancing their antioxidant profiles. The highest total phenolic content (247 ± 0.04 mg GAE/100 g) and DPPH scavenging activity (55 ± 0.05%) were observed in Acacia honey biofortified at maturation stage II. Polyflower honey exhibited increased phenolic content (232.9 ± 0.9 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant activity (52.45%) when biofortified at maturation stage II. Significant color changes were observed in polyflower honey, with a* and b* values increasing, indicating darker coloration. The biofortification of honey with pine bud extracts enhances its antioxidant and nutritional profile. This approach holds potential for the production of functional foods with improved health benefits. Further studies should explore its commercial feasibility and other potential bioactive compounds., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Taking into account the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, actual research focused on plant extracts is vital. The aim of our study was to investigate leaf and stem ethanolic extracts of Artemisia absinthium L. and Artemisia annua L. in order to explore their antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Total phenolic content (TPC) was evaluated spectrophotometrically. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH and ABTS. The antibacterial activity of wormwood extracts was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) in Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Listeria monocytogenes , and Salmonella enteritidis cultures, and by zone of inhibition in Klebsiella carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Escherichia coli extended-spectrum β-lactamases cultures (ESBL). The Artemisia annua L. leaf extract (AnL) exhibited the highest TPC (518.09 mg/mL) and the highest expression of sinapic acid (285.69 ± 0.002 µg/mL). Nevertheless, the highest antioxidant capacity (1360.51 ± 0.04 µM Trolox/g DW by ABTS and 735.77 ± 0.02 µM Trolox/g DW by DPPH) was found in Artemisia absinthium L. leaf from the second year of vegetation (AbL2). AnL extract exhibited the lowest MIC and MBC for all tested bacteria and the maximal zone of inhibition for Klebsiella CRE and Escherichia coli ESBL. Our study revealed that AbL2 exhibited the best antioxidant potential, while AnL extract had the strongest antibacterial effect.