> > > I have just received my sample of Bee-Quick from Dadant's,
> > > and it smells to me like it is mostly benzaldehyde.
> >
> > There is no benzaldehyde in Bee-Quick...

I thought I should say a bit more about this, since there are other relevant
posts on s.a.b. and also some personal correspondence that most BEE-L readers
will likely never see.

James assured us that there is no benzaldehyde in Bee-Quick and that it will not
leave _any_ residues.  Our co-op (Alberta Honey producers Co-op Ltd.)ran the
product through the lab and it spiked just like benzaldehyde. AFAIK, they just
tested the raw product, not honey that had been removed using it.

The point is that whether Bee-Quick contains benzaldehyde or not, and whether
benzaldehyde is a safe food ingredient or not, some foreign (and maybe domestic)
buyers reject any product with benzaldehyde showing in test samples because
benzaldehyde is not an approved repellent in some countries.

This whole trace residue thing is complex, largely irrational and often
political -- often amounting to a non-tariff barrier or an excuse to grind the
price.  Where these increasingly sensitive tests will eventually lead, I have no
idea.  What beekeepers need to know is that Bee-Quick is a proprietary
formula -- we are not told the ingredients -- that appears to be, or mimic,
benzaldehyde in tests.  Prospective users need to assure themselves that use
will not lead to rejection of their product by their customers.

I am very pleased to see someone put a new product on the market and if it is
effective as claimed, it could be a real boon.  Nonetheless, the supplier,
customers and regulatory personnel need to explicitly work out its acceptability
if found in honey before commercial honey producers can use it without some
concern.  Additionally some proof must be provided to back up the claim that
_no_ residues occur.  A few years ago, tests were only capable of finding one
ppm.  Now several ppb show up.  Tests are almost 1,000 X more sensitive.

allen
http://www.internode.net/HoneyBee/
---
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