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An alternative to natural food shortage for honeybees is the provision of supplements. The objective of this research was to develop a method with ideal conditions for the fermentation of a protein supplement for honeybees. The microorganisms used were Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria and Saccharomyces and the inulin prebiotic. There was an increase in lactic acid and a decrease in pH over a five-day fermentation period. The amount of acid bacteria present was 108–109 CFU/g of supplement. In the first phase the temperature and the humidity had significantly affected the fermentation but the variables inulin and probiotic didn’t. In the second phase, the lower temperatures and higher humidity produced the best effects on the fermentative responses. It was concluded that an ideal environment with temperature, humidity, inulin and probiotics could be created which allowed the fermentation of the protein supplement in five days obtaining final product fermentative characteristics close to bee bread.

Meliponine is a honey with particular characteristics; it has a high percentage of humidity, which can favor the development of microorganisms, thereby causing changes in the quality of the product. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological characteristics of meliponine honey produced by different species and marketed in the State of Paraná-Brazil. The sample unit was composed of honey of Tetragonisca angustula (n = 15), Scaptotrigona bipunctata (n = 05), Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata (n = 05) and Melipona bicolor schencki (n = 01). The following microbiological parameters were evaluated: counts of total and thermotolerant coliforms, fungi count and detection of Salmonella spp. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the possible relationships among species, locality and type of microorganism. For microorganisms of the total coliform group, 15.38% of the analyzed samples had values >3 MPN/g. The presence of thermotolerant coliforms was observed in 7.69% of the samples, all of which were T. angustula samples. For fungi counts, 100.00% of the analyzed samples had values within the established range created by the Agricultural Defense Agency of Paraná. The presence of Salmonella spp. was not observed in any of the samples evaluated. The amount of water in the honey is related to the location of the apiary and edaphoclimatic factors. Adoption of good handling practices by beekeepers is indispensable for the safety of the final product. La meliponíne produce una miel diferenciada con características particulares, presenta un alto porcentaje de humedad, lo que puede favorecer el desarrollo de microorganismos provocando cambios en la calidad del producto. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las características microbiológicas de la miel de meliponíne producida por diferentes especies y comercializada en el Estado de Paraná-Brazil. La unidad de muestra estuvo compuesta por miel de Tetragonisca angustula (n = 15), Scaptotrigona bipunctata (n = 05), Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata (n = 05) y Melipona bicolor schencki (n = 01). Se evaluaron parámetros microbiológicos: recuento de coliformes totales y termotolerantes, recuento de hongos y detección de Salmonella spp. Análisis de componentes principales: se utilizó ACP para evaluar las posibles relaciones entre especies, localidad y tipo de microorganismo. Para los microorganismos del grupo de coliformes totales, el 15,38% de las muestras analizadas presentaron valores >3 NMP/g. En el 7.69% de las muestras se observó la presencia de coliformes termotolerantes, siendo todas muestras de T. angustula. Para contar hongos, el 100,00% de las muestras analizadas presentaron valores dentro de lo establecido por la Agencia de Defensa Agropecuaria de Paraná. No se observó presencia de Salmonella spp en ninguna de las muestras evaluadas. Algunas muestras fueron similares según la especie productora y la cantidad de agua en la miel está relacionada con la ubicación del meliponario, debido a factores edafoclimáticos. La adopción de buenas prácticas de manipulación por parte de los productores de miel es fundamental para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria del producto final. Os meliponíneos elaboram um mel diferenciado com características particulares, apresenta elevado percentual de umidade o que pode favorecer o desenvolvimento de microrganismo ocasionando alterações na qualidade do produto. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as características microbiológicas do mel de meliponíneos produzido por diferentes espécies e comercializado no Estado do Paraná-Brasil. A unidade amostral foi composta de mel de Tetragonisca angustula (n=15), Scaptotrigona bipunctata (n=05), Melipona quadrifasciata quadrifasciata (n=05) e Melipona bicolor schencki (n=01). Parâmetros microbiológicos foram avaliados: contagem de coliformes totais e termotolerantes, contagem de fungos e detecção de Salmonella spp. A análise de componentes principais - ACP foi utilizada para avaliar as possíveis relações entre espécie, localidade e tipo de microrganismo. Para microrganismos do grupo coliformes totais, 15,38% das amostras analisadas apresentaram valores >3 NMP/g. Em 7,69% das amostras foi observado a presença de coliformes termotolerantes, sendo todas amostras de T. angustula. Para contagem de fungos, 100,00% das amostras analisadas apresentaram valores dentro do estabelecido pela Agência de Defesa Agropecuária do Paraná. Não foi observado a presença de Salmonella spp em nenhuma das amostras avaliadas. Algumas amostras se assemelharam segundo a espécie produtora e a quantidade de água no mel é relacionada com a localização do meliponário, devido a fatores edafoclimáticos. Adoção de boas práticas de manipulação pelos meliponicultores se tornam indispensáveis para conferir segurança alimentar ao produto final.

This study was carried out to evaluate human consumption of the pollen of Scaptotrigona bipunctata colonies stored in pots; it was lyophilized and spray-dried in arrays of arabic gum and hydrolyzed collagen which have been widely applied to get products with best technological features and highest biological activity. After the samples were prepared they were evaluated by physicochemical analysis, and the data were compared. S. bipunctata pollen lyophilized had product with higher antiradical activity than the pollen dried using spray dryer which only quantified the antioxidant activity of the antioxidant compound that was encapsulated and stabilized in the solid matrix material. Key words: Biological activity, encapsulated pollen, lyophilized pollen, phenolic profile, stingless bees.

This study aimed to estimate live weight, the length and the width of wing and abdomen and the length, the width and the height of thorax in newly emerged Africanized honeybee queens up to 192 hours and their influence on final quality regarding appropriate storage techniques in queen banking or incubator and to verify the possibility of using these parameters as selection criteria in honeybee breeding programs. Queen honeybees were produced in summer, autumn and winter. The queen production method used throughout the experiments was adapted from Doolittle, and 68 the queens were weighed at emergence. Data were analyzed in R software by regression analysis of queen weight at emergence according to life time after emergence, in two types of storage. The weight of queens emerged in queen banking and incubator was significantly different (p < 0.05), with mean values of 165.61 and 157.04 mg, respectively. Queens kept in an incubator and in queen banking showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in wing length, abdomen length and thorax height. The weight of queen at emergence can be used as a selection criterion in honeybee breeding programs. O objetivo do trabalho foi estimar peso vivo, comprimento e largura de asa e abdome e comprimento, largura e altura do tórax de rainhas Apis mellifera africanizadas recém-emergidas até 192h e sua influência na qualidade final com relação às técnicas apropriadas de armazenamento em banco de rainhas ou estufa e verificar se estes parâmetros podem ser utilizados como critério de seleção. Foram produzidas nas seguintes estações do ano: verão, outono e inverno. O método utilizado durante todo o experimento foi o adaptado de Doolitlle para a produção de rainhas e 68 rainhas foram pesadas à emersão. Os dados foram analisados no software R pela análise de regressão do peso da rainha à emergência em função do tempo de vida após a emersão, nos dois tipos de alojamento. Para peso, os efeitos da colmeia banco de rainhas e estufa foram significativos (p < 0,05), médias de 165,61 e 157,04 mg, respectivamente. As rainhas mantidas em estufa e colmeia banco de rainhas não apresentaram diferenças em relação ao comprimento da asa, ao comprimento do abdome e à altura do tórax. O peso de rainhas à emergência mantidas em colmeia banco de rainhas foi maior que o peso das rainhas mantidas em estufa. O peso das rainhas à emergência pode ser utilizado como critério de seleção.

It is important to select the best honeybees that produce royal jelly to identify important molecular markers, such as major royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), and hence contribute to the development of new breeding strategies to improve the production of this substance. Therefore, this study focused on evaluating the genetic variability of mrjp3, mrjp5, and mrjp8 and associated allele maintenance during the process of selective reproduction in Africanized Apis mellifera individuals, which were chosen based on royal jelly production. The three loci analyzed were polymorphic, and produced a total of 16 alleles, with 4 new alleles, which were identified at mrjp5. The effective number of alleles at mrjp3 was 3.81. The observed average heterozygosity was 0.4905, indicating a high degree of genetic variability at these loci. The elevated FIS values for mrjp3, mrjp5, and mrjp8 (0.4188, 0.1077, and 0.2847, respectively) indicate an excess of homozygotes. The selection of Africanized A. mellifera queens for royal jelly production has maintained the mrjp3 C, D, and E alleles; although, the C allele occurred at a low frequency. The heterozygosity and FIS values show that the genetic variability of the queens is decreasing at the analyzed loci, generating an excess of homozygotes. However, the large numbers of drones that fertilize the queens make it difficult to develop homozygotes at mrjp3. Mating through instrumental insemination using the drones of known genotypes is required to increase the efficiency of Africanized A. mellifera-breeding programs, and to improve the quality and efficiency of commercial royal jelly apiaries.