Diversification strategy for the mitigation of climate changes impact in the beekeeping sector: development and characterization of energy bars with bee bread and bee pollen

In Trás-os-Montes region, which is peripherally located in the northeast of Portugal, the apiculture sector is almost exclusively dedicated to the production of honey. According to the most recent data, 9817 tons of honey were produced in 2020 in Portugal, contributing for an income over 23 Million € for the beekeepers. This high dependence on honey production, combined with the increasingly frequent and extreme climate change phenomena, might be considered a problem that can negatively influence the profitability of apicultural activities. In fact, climate changes constitute an additional stress factor, which might affect honeybees, reducing their production potential. Diversification and innovation in the apiculture sector can be an important strategy in order to mitigate the negative impact of climate change in the apiculture sector profitability. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, rheological properties, and global consumer acceptability of energy bars formulated with other hive products besides honey, such as bee bread and bee pollen, which could provide an additional source of income for beekeepers. Eighteen formulations of energy bars, containing a combination of beehive products (bee pollen and bee bread), nuts, and cereal/pseudocereal/seed, were developed. The energy bars that included white quinoa grains contained total carbohydrate, fat, protein, moisture, and ash percentages of 56.0±0.3–61.1±1.2, 13.5±0.5–44.5±0.1, 11.3±0.1–20.0±0.1, 7.3±0.1–11.9±0.3, and 2.0±0.1–3.9±0.1, respectively, corresponding to energetic values between 414,2±4.6 and 438,5±3,3 kcal/100 grams. These values are comparable to those reported by a renowned company specialized in the sports nutrition that has on the market a variety of energy bars with energetic values ranging from 403 to 472 kcal/100 grams. The substitution of the white quinoa grains by sesame seeds yielded energy bars with higher proportion of fat in its composition, which yield an even higher energetic value (535.6±6.5-570.9±7.3 kcal/100 grams), which can make them an interesting alternative for sports activities that require higher energy expenditure. The results from the global acceptability sensory analysis evidenced that the type of beehive product present in the formulation played an important role in the panel global acceptability: the incorporation of bee bread in the energy bars formulation, instead of bee pollen, increased the sensory panel global acceptance, evidenced by higher scores (6.0-6.9/9.0 vs 5.6-6.3/9.0). Overall, the energy bars mostly appreciated by the sensory analysis panel contained quinoa grains, bee bread, and almonds in their formulation, exhibiting a global acceptability score of 6.9/9.0. The rheological analysis of these energy bars yielded hardness, adhesiveness, elasticity, cohesiveness, chewiness, and resilience values of 10982±1278 g, 46.83±8.65 g/s, 0.52±0.08 %, 0.47±0.05 %, 4838±594, and 0.23±0.01 %, respectively. The analysis of the rheological properties did not evidence a clear relation between the parameters evaluated and the results from the sensory analysis, evidencing that besides the texture characteristics of the energy bars, other properties, such as global visual aspect and flavor, were also valued by the sensory panel. This study showed that the energy bars developed with the incorporation of added-value beehive products, such as bee bread and bee pollen, have a chemical composition and energy value comparable with those currently on the market, besides getting a good overall consumer acceptability. Therefore, the production of bee pollen and bee bread can constitute an additional source of income for the beekeepers, reducing the dependency on the production of honey, and minimizing the impact of climate change on the beekeeper ́s profitability.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison of Iberian honey bee colony variables continuously monitored with thermo-hygro-buttons and electronic scales set up in two latitudinal extremes of Portugal

Honey bee colony data collected continuously together with climate data are of great importance because they provide the opportunity to understand colony phenology. Continuous monitoring of honey bee colonies initiated long time ago with Gates (1914) and Hambleton (1925), when they assessed weather effects on hive weight using mechanical scales. Currently, the study of colony dynamics has been intensified with development of new technologies such as electronic scales, hygro-buttons, thermo-buttons, and computer-assisted digital image analysis of brood combs. Studies of colony dynamics are of great interest in Portugal because of large climatic (and flora) differences between the two latitudinal extremes and because of distinct genetic backgrounds of the native subspecies, Apis mellifera iberiensis (Pinto et al. 2013). In this study we will compare the temporal dynamics of colony weight and nest temperature and humidity of 12 colonies, which have been continuously monitored since July of 2015 with electronic scales and thermo-hygro-buttons, set up in apiaries located in two latitudinal extremes of Portugal. These colony variables will be correlated with climatic data (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rain) obtained from automatic weather stations installed in the two apiaries. This research is funded through the 2013-2014 BiodivERsA/FACCE-JPI Joint call for research proposals, with the national funders FCT (Portugal), CNRS (France), and MEC (Spain).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Projeto BEEHOPE: conservação da abelha ibérica (Apis mellifera iberiensis) em Portugal

O projeto BEEHOPE, com o título original “Honeybee conservation centres in western Europe - an innovative strategy using sustainable beekeeping to reduce honeybee decline”, foi aprovado no âmbito do 5º concurso transnacional (2013-2014) BiodivErsA/FACCE-JPI na área da biodiversidade. O consórcio internacional que integra o BEEHOPE é constituído por cinco instituições oriundas de França (CNRS/Université de Versailles, CNRS/Université Blaise Pascal, e CNRS/Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé), Espanha (Universidad del País Vasco) e Portugal (Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança). Num cenário de ameaças crescentes à integridade genética das subespécies de abelhas nativas da Europa, o objectivo último do BEEHOPE é proteger o fundo genético das populações da linhagem M (A. m. iberiensis e A. m. mellifera) através do estabelecimento de apiários de conservação ao longo de um gradiente que vai desde o Norte de França até ao Sul de Portugal. Estes apiários de conservação terão como missão: (i) servir de base à caraterização da diversidade genética e eco-etológica das abelhas da linhagem da Europa Ocidental (M), (ii) preservar a diversidade genética dessas populações, (iii) constituir uma reserva de diversidade para a indústria apícola e apicultores, (iv) estudar o impacto da abelha domesticada na manutenção da diversidade florística local, e (v) servir de base à utilização da abelha como um bio-coletor e como bio-indicador da qualidade ambiental. Nesta comunicação apresentar-se-ão as atividades desenvolvidas e os primeiros resultados genéticos e eco-etológicos obtidos nos dois apiários Portugueses (Bragança e Algarve) que fazem parte da rede de centros de conservação do BEEHOPE.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A study of local adaptation in the Iberian honeybee (Apis mellifera iberiensis) using a reciprocal translocation experiment

In Europe, several translocation experiments suggested that native populations of Apis mellifera are adapted to local climate and flora. However, so far, no study has been conducted on the Iberian honeybee, Apis mellifera iberiensis. The goal of this study was to assess the existence of genotype-environment interaction (GEI), and consequently local adaptation, in the Iberian honeybee. In 2015 two apiaries were set up, each one with 36 colonies (18 of the origin Bragança and 18 of the origin Vila do Bispo), in two latitudinal extremes of Portugal: Bragança (north) and Vila do Bispo (south). Several traits of the 36 colonies were measured for almost 2 years, including: number of brood and pollen cells, honey yield, survival, and Varroa destructor infestation. The analyses were performed using t-Student and Mann-Whitney tests to compare those traits between the two origins in the same apiary and the same origin between the two apiaries. The survival analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard model in R. Colonies of the southern origin Vila do Bispo showed a tendency to collect more pollen and consequently they produced a higher number of brood cells, had a higher varroa infestation level and a lower survival rate than colonies of the origin Bragança in both locations. Honey yield was the only trait that showed existence of GEI, and therefore local adaptation, since the local honeybees had a higher honey production in their apiary of origin. Additionally, the differences between the two origins were sharper in more favourable environments where the honeybees can better express their genetic potential. Our findings highlight the importance of protecting local honeybee diversity in a period of increasing selection pressures such as climate change, agricultural land overuse and novel pathogens and parasites.Thisresearchwas funded through the 2013-2014~'BiodivERsA/FACCE-JPI Joint call for research proposals, with the national funders FCT(Portugal), CNRS (France), and MEC(Spain).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison of Iberian honey bee colony variables continuously monitored with thermo-hygro-buttons and electronic scales set up in two latitudinal extremes of Portugal

Honey bee colony data collected continuously together with climate data are of great importance because they provide the opportunity to understand colony phenology. Continuous monitoring of honey bee colonies initiated long time ago with Gates (1914) and Hambleton (1925), when they assessed weather effects on hive weight using mechanical scales. Currently, the study of colony dynamics has been intensified with development of new technologies such as electronic scales, hygro-buttons, thermo-buttons, and computer-assisted digital image analysis of brood combs. Studies of colony dynamics are of great interest in Portugal because of large climatic (and flora) differences between the two latitudinal extremes and because of distinct genetic backgrounds of the native subspecies, Apis mellifera iberiensis (Pinto et al. 2013). In this study we will compare the temporal dynamics of colony weight and nest temperature and humidity of 12 colonies, which have been continuously monitored since July of 2015 with electronic scales and thermo-hygro-buttons, set up in apiaries located in two latitudinal extremes of Portugal. These colony variables will be correlated with climatic data (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and rain) obtained from automatic weather stations installed in the two apiaries. This research is funded through the 2013-2014 BiodivERsA/FACCE-JPI Joint call for research proposals, with the national funders FCT (Portugal), CNRS (France), and MEC (Spain).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O Sistema de Gestao da Qualidade nas respostas sociais: caracterizaçao dos sistemas certificados e propostas de um modelo de processos.

A nível mundial a implementação e certificação de sistema de gestão e qualidade nas organizações tem-se revelado essencial para o crescimento das mesmas. Nesta linha, desde o ano 2000, que as instituições que fazem parte do sector social começaram a olhar para a gestão da qualidade como forma de melhorarem as suas praticas e ainda, verem verificada a qualidade dos serviços que prestam. este trabalho cientifico tem como principal objetivo caracterizar os sistemas certificados nas instituições pertencentes a três distritos de Portugal continental, e propor um novo modelo de abordagem por processos que seja aplicável a qualquer instituição da área social, bem como os respetivos indicadores para a sua monitorização. A metodologia sugerida sustenta-se em dados recolhidos nas instituições através da realização de entrevistas aos gestores de qualidade e da analise de documentação relativa ao sistema de gestão de qualidade implementado nas organizações. Apesar da bibliografia relativa aos modelos de processos nas respostas sociais ser praticamente inexistente, é possível com este estudo propor um modelo de processos capaz de ser implementado em qualquer instituição, bem como monitorizado por meio dos indicadores propostos. Considerando os resultados obtidos pode-se inferir que parece existir uma relação entre as motivações internas para a certificação de qualidade e os impactos positivos da certificação, bem como entre as dificuldades na implementação do Sistema de Gestao da Qualidade (SGQ) e os impactos negativos da certificação. Também é possível identificar a clausula da ISO 9001 que é mais frequentemente citada nos relatórios de auditoria externa. Este trabalho apresenta um modelo de gestão de qualidade, baseado na abordagem por processos, suscetível de ser aplicado a qualquer instituição