You are what you eat; and
honeybees seem to know this principle well, hence to make a queen bee they feed
larvae with royal jelly (RJ). Since the queen bee is fertile, larger and lives
longer than most (Apis mellifera) honeybees, this has led humans to consume RJ
in traditional medicine and as a health food. The beneficial effect of RJ on
human health is still under debate and investigation.
RJ has a complex composition and
recent studies have identified lists of volatile and polar components ; but it
is generally
accepted that RJ is composed of approximately 60% water, proteins (42-41%
of dry matter), carbohydrates (30% of dry matter), lipids (8-19% of dry matter)
and small amounts of minerals, polyphenols and vitamins. Lyophilized RJ is
considered to have less than 5% water and to preserve the same proportions of
proteins, lipids and carbohydrates in terms of dry mass.
Since RJ is obtained in much
smaller amounts, as compared to most apicultural products, and reaches a high
market price, it has been a major target for adulteration. In an evaluation of
the physicochemical properties of RJ by different methods, the addition of
substantial amounts of yoghurt, egg white, and/or corn starch was detected. The
possibility of contamination of RJ with toxic compounds, such as melamine, has
also been explored.
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