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 * ******************************************************