Scientists have identified a secret ingredient in honey that kills bacteria. They have found that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1. <br/><br/>This could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections. <br/><br/>A researcher involved in the work from the Department of Medical Microbiology at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam said they have completely elucidated the molecular basis of the antibacterial activity of a single medical-grade honey, which contributes to the applicability of honey in medicine. <br/><br/>He said honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.