Propolis to Make Jump from Health to Food Preservative?
By Stephen Daniells, FoodNavigator-USA
http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/11/propolis-to-make-jump-from-health-to.html
 
Propolis, the waxy resin collected by honeybees and currently marketed
for its health benefits, could also find use as a natural food
preservative, suggests new research…

"It may be concluded that, the ethanolic extract of propolis tested, in
the performed experimental conditions may successfully inhibit the E.
coli development in vitro, at safe levels for human consumption and,
consequently, they could be useful as ground fresh beef natural
preserver or as unspecific antibacterial food preserver," wrote lead
author Enzo Tosi in the journal Food Chemistry.

Tosi and his co-workers from Argentina's National University if
Technology looked at the effect of Argentinian propolis extracts against
Ecoli, and thereby as a preservative for foods. 

"Most propolis components are natural constituents of food and
recognized as safe substances," added Tosi…

Imported Bees Not Source of Virus Associated with Colony Collapse
Disorder 
By Kim Kaplan, U.S. Fed News, 11/19/2007
http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/11/imported-bees-not-source-of-virus.html

BELTSVILLE, Md., Nov. 19-Scientists from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that the
Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), a virus recently shown to be
associated with Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) of honey bees, has been
in the United States since at least 2002, according to a note published
in the American Bee Journal. 

Research entomologists Yanping (Judy) Chen and Jay D. Evans, both with
the ARS Bee Research Laboratory here, conducted a detailed genetic
screening of several hundred honey bees that had been collected between
2002 and 2007 from colonies in Maryland, Pennsylvania, California and
Israel. 

"Our study shows that, without question, IAPV has been in this country
since at least 2002," said Chen. "This work challenges the idea that
IAPV is a recent introduction from Australia."…

******************************************************
* Full guidelines for BEE-L posting are at:          *
* http://www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm  *
******************************************************