The Impact of Grafted Larvae and Collection Day on Royal Jelly’s Production and Quality
Source abstract
Abstract
Royal jelly (RJ), a secretion from nurse bees, is a key factor in honeybee caste differentiation and a high-value product in apitherapy. Despite its economic and biological importance, factors affecting its yield and composition remain insufficient. This study investigated the impact of grafted larval age and sex and the collection day of RJ on its yield and physicochemical characteristics. Three independent experiments were conducted using strong Apis mellifera L. colonies. Larvae of different ages (first, second, and third) were grafted, and RJ was harvested 24, 48, and 72 h post grafting. Additionally, worker and drone larvae were used to assess the effect of larval sex. RJ was analyzed for moisture, protein, sugar, and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-had) content. Results showed that RJ yield significantly increased with collection day, with the third day being optimal. Protein content declined over time, while moisture content rose, although sugar levels and 10-HDA remained stable. Second-day larvae yielded the highest RJ volume without affecting composition. Larval sex did not significantly influence either RJ yield or composition. The results of this study may provide valuable insights into the quality determinants of royal jelly, enabling beekeepers to optimize production for both enhanced royal jelly yield and the rearing of higher-quality queen bees.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Bee Products Chemical Analysis · Food Quality and Safety Studies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Laboratory of Apiculture-Sericulture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Aristotle Farm, 57001 Thermi, Greece
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