Physicochemical Characterization of Maltese Honey

The Maltese Islands are renowned for the production of genuine honey from different floral sources depending on the season and the location of the apiary. Honey samples were collected directly from local beekeepers over a period of 4 years. Each sample was coded and the details provided by the beekeepers were recorded. A total of 259 samples were collected. The distribution of the apiaries was also considered for the three honey seasons: spring, summer and autumn. All samples were tested for the parameters according to the EU Directive on Honey (2001/110/EC) and the Harmonised Methods of the International Honey Commission (2009). The samples were analysed for consistency (by appearance), moisture content and Brix (by refractometry), colour index, diastase, proline and hydroxymethylfurfural (by spectrophotometry), pH and electrical conductivity (by pH/conductivity meters), salinity (chloride meter), free acidity (by titrimetry), polyphenols (by the Folin-Ciocalteu test), sugar content (high performance liquid chromatography), antioxidant activity (by DPPH and FRAP) and antimicrobial activity. The Maltese honey can be classified into three seasons with distinctive physicochemical characteristics. Honey originating from particular season showed significantly different values for specific parameters. Typically, high sucrose content is found in spring honey and a high conductivity in autumn honey

Physicochemical characteristics of organic honey samples of africanized honeybees from Paraná River islands.

This research was carried out to evaluate the physicochemical composition of organic honey in Paraná River islands, in Porto Brasílio, State of Paraná. Honey was harvested directly from super of the colonies in three apiaries spread in the Floresta and Laranjeira Islands, from August 2005 to August 2006. Twenty-four samples of organic honey produced by Africanized honeybees were evaluated. The following parameters were analyzed: pH, acidity, formol index, hydroxymethylfurfural, ashes, color, electric conductivity and moisture. Three replications per sample were performed for laboratorial analysis, giving the means and standard deviation. Most honey samples were in conformity with the Normative Instruction 11 from October 20, 2000. However, 4.17% were not in accordance with the moisture standards, 8.33% showed high concentrations of hydroxymethylfurfural, thus, totalizing 12.50% of non-complying samples. Nevertheless, 87.50% of the analyzed honey samples are within the standards, being characterized as an organic product of excellent quality, with good commercialization perspectives in the market

Infestation and Reproduction of Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and Hygienic Behavior in Colonies of Apis mellifera L. (Africanized Honeybee) with Queens of Different Genetic Origins

The hygienic behavior and variables related to the varroa mite in Apis mellifera colonies, with queens of different origins, were evaluated from October 2013 to June 2014. Queens from the selection program of the Maringá State University (Maringá / PR), from a beekeeper/ producer of Santa Terezinha/ SC and unselected queens, randomly selected in an experimental apiary (Irineópolis / SC) were evaluated. Colonies with queens of Maringá presented an increase in the invasion rate and total reproduction of varroa as there was reduction of hygienic behavior. This group presented a reduction in the effective reproduction of the mite, with a mean of 2.3 fertile offspring. Colonies with queens of Santa Terezinha presented an increase in the invasion rate due to the reduction of hygienic behavior, but in a less marked manner, since this characteristic remained stable, with an average of 92.0%. The total and effective reproduction of the mite for this group was 1.7 and 0.9 of total and fertile offspring, respectively. Colonies with queens of Irineópolis showed the lowest hygienic behavior (78.0%) and the highest total (12.6) and effective (5.3) reproduction of the mite. The use of selected queens, with hygienic behavior, interferes with the varroa population dynamics, contributing to the reduction of the invasion and total and effective reproduction rates of the mite

Characterization of Lavandula spp. Honey Using Multivariate Techniques

Traditionally, melissopalynological and physicochemical analyses have been the most used to determine the botanical origin of honey. However, when performed individually, these analyses may provide less unambiguous results, making it difficult to discriminate between mono and multifloral honeys. In this context, with the aim of better characterizing this beehive product, a selection of 112 Lavandula spp. monofloral honey samples from several regions were evaluated by association of multivariate statistical techniques with physicochemical, melissopalynological and phenolic compounds analysis. All honey samples fulfilled the quality standards recommended by international legislation, except regarding sucrose content and diastase activity. The content of sucrose and the percentage of Lavandula spp. pollen have a strong positive association. In fact, it was found that higher amounts of sucrose in honey are related with highest percentage of pollen of Lavandula spp.. The samples were very similar for most of the physicochemical parameters, except for proline, flavonoids and phenols (bioactive factors). Concerning the pollen spectrum, the variation of Lavandula spp. pollen percentage in honey had little contribution to the formation of samples groups. The formation of two groups regarding the physicochemical parameters suggests that the presence of other pollen types in small percentages influences the factor termed as "bioactive", which has been linked to diverse beneficial health effects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Geleia real e o seu papel no superorganismo Apis mellifera

Nas abelhas da espécie Apis mellifera, tanto as operárias quanto as rainhas se desenvolvem a partir de ovos fertilizados. O alimento que as larvas recebem determinará o seu destino, rainha ou operária. Entretanto, esta simplificação encobre a beleza dos detalhes de um processo muito mais complexo. Por esse motivo, a geleia real tem atraído o interesse de muitos pesquisadores, tanto na área da biologia comportamental quanto na de nutrição de abelhas. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho é sintetizar a importância da geleia para os indivíduos que compõem o superorganismo numa colônia de abelhas melíferas, divulgando os estudos mais recentes sobre o tema, bem como sua produção comercial e a situação atual do mercado internacional na comercialização desse produto

Caracterização eletroforética e bioquímica das esterases da abelha sem ferrão Tetragonisca weyrauchi (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

The meliponinae are important pollinators of plant species. T. weyrauchi has restricted distribution, is found only in northern Brazil. This study aimed to perform the electrophoretic characterization of esterases from T. weyrauchi and check the expression pattern of total proteins. Adult individuals were collected at the entrance of the nests located in Alto Paraíso, state of Rondônia, Brazil and stored at -20 °C. Individual extracts of head and thorax and abdomen of the workers were subjected to electrophoresis on 10% polyacrylamide gel and 5% stacking gel. Extracts from head and thorax of T. weyrauchi presented six esterase regions. In abdomen extracts it was only one esterase activity region, EST- 4. The heated samples to 52 °C and 54 °C decrease in the relative activity of esterases 1, 2, 3 and 4 and total degradation of esterases 5 and 6. At 58 °C only esterase 4 presented lower relative activity while the others were totally degraded. On the electrophoretic pattern of the proteins, 24 peptides detected, by molecular weight, their size ranged from 10 to 220 kDa. This study revealed, that number found for esterase species is greater than for other species of the same genus, as well as the number of proteins. The thermostability test showed resistance is associated with thermoregulatory capacity, an important characteristic because this species is found in regions with high temperatures.Os meliponíneos são importantes polinizadores de espécies de plantas. A T. weyrauchi tem distribuição restrita, é encontrada somente na região norte do Brasil. Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar a caracterização eletroforética de esterases em T. weyrauchi e verificar o padrão de expressão de proteínas totais. Indivíduos adultos foram coletados na entrada de ninhos localizados na cidade de Alto Paraíso, Rondônia, e estocados a -20 °C. Extratos individuais de cabeça/tórax e abdômen das operárias foram submetidos à eletroforese em géis de poliacrilamida a 10% e gel de empilhamento a 5%. Os extratos de cabeça/tórax de T. weyrauchi possuem seis regiões de esterase. Em extratos do abdômen foi observada apenas uma região de atividade esterásica a EST- 4. As amostras aquecidas a 52 °C e 54 °C apresentaram diminuição na atividade relativa das esterases 1, 2, 3 e 4 e degradação total das esterases 5 e 6. A 58 °C somente a esterase 4 apresentou menor atividade relativa, enquanto as demais foram totalmente degradadas. No perfil eletroforético das proteínas foram evidenciados 24 peptídeos de acordo com a massa molecular, o tamanho variou de 10 a 220kDa. Este estudo revelou que o número de esterases encontrada é maior do que para outras espécies do mesmo gênero, bem como o número de proteínas. O teste de termoestabilidade mostrou que a resistência está associada à capacidade de termorregulação, uma característica importante, pois esta espécie é encontrada em regiões com altas temperaturas