"In Europe, many beekeepers have switched to using glycerin rather than sugar as the humectant for the dribble."

We will soon perhaps when the new formulations will be registered.

Registered (most dated 2016) medications  in Europe are still mainly based upon sugar solution as humectant
Oxuvar, Andermatt Biovet Switzerland,  https://www.biovet.ch/fr_bv/abeilles.html#isPage=1
Oxybee, Dany Bienenwohl GmbH Germany
Apibioxal, Chemicals Laif  Italy https://www.alveis.it/it/api-bioxal/
and even VarroMed, https://www.beevital.com/products#varromed-1
VarroMed BeeVital Gmbh, Germany is having in addition of oxalic acid, formic acid but I wonder how this formulation could be approved. It is a ready to use liquid formulation. It means massive HMF just after bottling inside the factory and HMF increases massively during storage before use…

OA + Glycerol formulations are now available with new formulations of Oxybee ) and Apibioxal (85% glycerol but not so well promoted so far. These new formulations avoid HMF introduction inside the hive.
See : https://www.alveis.it/it/api-bioxal-soluzione/ and https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/oxybee-epar-product-information_en.pdf

I’m not sure, but the factor to take into account regarding efficiency between water or glycerol seems to be the humidity inside the hive depending of your local climate. In summer, glycerol would have some advantage to water while in winter it would be the opposite. In summer water evaporates and humectant property is not lasting long enough. All of these details, are in Norberto Milani great publication dated 2001. Look table VI page 135 in https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/pdf/2001/02/milani.pdf you will understand.
Georges France

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