Gernt Patrick, Dittes Julia, Vervuert Ingrid, Emmerich Ilka U
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Nutrition, Nutrition Diseases and Dietetics, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Centre for Applied Training and Learning, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jul 30;14(15):2208. doi: 10.3390/ani14152208.
Honeybees are some of the smallest farmed animals, and apiculture by-products, e.g., honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, and pollen contribute to animal nutrition. For the effective production of these by-products, the optimal development and nutrient supply of the honeybee is required. Beginning with the development of the mouth and anal pores on the second day of embryonic development, the digestive tract differentiates into the mouth and fore-, mid-, and hindgut during the pupal stage. The various glands within the oral cavity are particularly important, secreting enzymes and substances that are crucial for digestion and hive nutrition, e.g., invertase and royal jelly. Honeybees rely on a specialized caste system, with worker bees collecting nectar, pollen, water, and resin for the nutrition of the entire hive. Macronutrients, including proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, obtained primarily from pollen and nectar, are essential for the growth and development of larvae and the overall health of the colony. Inadequate nutrient intake can lead to detrimental effects on larval development, prompting cannibalism within the hive. Apiculture by-products possess unique nutritional and therapeutic properties, leading to a growing interest in the use of honey, beeswax, propolis, and pollen as a feed additive. In recent years, the use of apicultural by-products in animal nutrition has been primarily limited to in vivo studies, which have demonstrated various positive impacts on the performance of farm animals. Honey, beeswax, propolis, royal jelly, and pollen are listed feed stuffs according to Regulation (EC) No. 68/2013. However, for animal nutrition there is not any specific legal definition for these products and no legal requirements regarding their ingredients as given for honey or beeswax in European food law.
蜜蜂是养殖的最小的动物之一，养蜂副产品，如蜂蜜、蜂蜡、蜂胶、蜂王浆和花粉，对动物营养有贡献。为了有效生产这些副产品，需要蜜蜂实现最佳发育并获得充足营养供应。从胚胎发育第二天口孔和肛门孔的发育开始，消化道在蛹期分化为口、前肠、中肠和后肠。口腔内的各种腺体尤为重要，它们分泌对消化和蜂巢营养至关重要的酶和物质，如转化酶和蜂王浆。蜜蜂依赖一种特殊的等级制度，工蜂采集花蜜、花粉、水和树脂为整个蜂巢提供营养。主要从花粉和花蜜中获取的包括蛋白质、碳水化合物和脂质在内的大量营养素，对幼虫的生长发育和蜂群的整体健康至关重要。营养摄入不足会对幼虫发育产生不利影响，导致蜂巢内出现同类相食的现象。养蜂副产品具有独特的营养和治疗特性，这使得人们越来越有兴趣将蜂蜜、蜂蜡、蜂胶和花粉用作饲料添加剂。近年来，养蜂副产品在动物营养中的应用主要限于体内研究，这些研究已证明对家畜性能有各种积极影响。根据欧盟法规（EC）No. 68/2013，蜂蜜、蜂蜡、蜂胶、蜂王浆和花粉属于列出的饲料原料。然而，对于动物营养而言，这些产品没有任何具体的法律定义，也没有欧洲食品法中针对蜂蜜或蜂蜡所规定的关于其成分的法律要求。
