Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Propolis – some basic information

October 23, 2009 by royaljellyblog

I’ve covered the benefits of propolis quite extensively here but I’m going to start to add more information about the benefits of propolis and other bee products at this Blog.
Propolis is often termed “bee glue” since it’s a sticky resinous substance made from a compound of bee saliva, bark, tree sap and other vegetation. It is used to repair damage to the beehive by sealing cracks and holes to prevent the ingress of outside contaminants. In that sense it is used to create a sterile environment within the beehive and to protect its inhabitants and the precious substances within.
Worker bees collect the vegetation using their legs and the substances are mixed with bee secretions during transportation and subsequent application to the hive walls.
Processing propolis is very different to the processes used for royal jelly and bee pollen. It is common to use an alcohol extraction procedure where the sticky black, tar-like substance is diluted in an alcohol base then extracted and dried. Propolis quite often has a strong acidic and pungent odor. We’ve had comments from people using our Total Bee Plus product saying that sometimes there’s a chemical odor and it varies from batch to batch. This is absolutely true but it’s nothing to be concerned about. It is the inherent properties and odors of propolis.
Another observation relating to propolis is that our combination bee products often have dark specs inside the capsule, visible through the tan colored capsule shell. Again, this is the propolis, it starts out quite dark and will darken, naturally, with age.

Posted in Propolis | Leave a Comment »

Lyophilization Process Explained

October 11, 2009 by royaljellyblog

One of the questions we are asked most often relates to the debate of fresh liquid royal jelly versus powdered form – which is most beneficial, which is most nutritious?
First lets look at the facts.
Royal jelly, as we’ve discussed elsewhere, can be taken from the hive and processed or it can be taken from the hive and pasteurized, then further processed. It’s important to know which version of royal jelly you are consuming.
For example, if your product is pasteurized then delivered to you in liquid form, marketed as “fresh, non-lyophilized royal jelly” – well, technically the marketing blurb is correct, but what about the pasteurization stage?…don’t you think that applying heat to the substance would do great harm? We do, and it does.
Then, what about taking fresh, liquid royal jelly and lyophilizing it without any pasteurization. So we take the fresh liquid and we pass cold air across it to evaporate the moisture (water). What is left is basically a concentrated powder that has had no heat exposure other than cold air.
Now we have a potent powder with all the nutrients locked in.
Doesn’t that sound better than something which has been pasteurized and promoted as “Fresh liquid royal jelly”? well it is.

So be extremely careful and try to research and understand exactly what it is that you are getting.

Posted in royal jelly facts | 2 Comments »

What forms does royal jelly appear in?

October 11, 2009 by royaljellyblog

Many of us know already that royal jelly is ‘manufactured’ in the beehive for the nourishment of the queen bee. We know that is is a creamy whitish/yellowing liquid, quite viscous and very volatile. Once it is removed from the beehive it needs to be processed quickly to prevent contamination and spoiling.
Some processors will retain the liquid in its raw state and simply freeze it, whereupon it can be delivered straight to the end user for consumption or to another processing facility for the next stage of its transformation into a health supplement. Many processors will also pasteurize the liquid, by applying heat, in the typical pasteurization format. This leaves a substance with questionable nutritional integrity. For certain it still has beneficial properties, but also certain is that it is now void of any live enzymes, which may be at the core of royal jelly’s benefits.
So either in a raw state or following pasteurization, it can now either be capsulated, bottled (jars) or lyophilized.
Capsulating raw liquid royal jelly
This isn’t the easiest of processes. Most capsules (and equipment) are designed to house dry powders. Capsulating a liquid substance generally requires the use of a soft-gel container, which provides a complete and air-tight seal around the royal jelly. It still needs to have preservatives added to extend its shelf-life, and these can vary. The process is quite difficult and generally results in a higher cost per milligram of substance. It also generally restricts the amount of active ingredient that can be delivered in one capsule, often to as low as 150mg.
Bottling raw liquid royal jelly
This is much easier than capsulating it, but passes the handling issue along to the end user. You now have a jar of fresh liquid royal jelly, perhaps 16 oz, and you need to keep it refrigerated and consume it quite quickly after opening. Some processors add fresh honey to the raw royal jelly to extend its shelf life.
Lyophilized royal jelly
This is a process where cold air as passed over the surface of the liquid to remove water. It turns the liquid into a powder form which is still just as nutritive as the original liquid, with the exception of H2o. Now it can be handled much like a conventional supplement in powder form, and it is usually capsulated in a 2-piece gelatin shell the bottled.

The key, regardless of which method you buy into, is to ensure that you buy from a reputable source and be sure to buy from a USA licensed facility.
We’ll be covering more of these points in much more detail in upcoming blogs.

Thanks

Posted in Royal Jelly Resources, royal jelly benefits, royal jelly facts | 1 Comment »

Covering all bee products and resources…

October 10, 2009 by royaljellyblog

Having written a good deal of online information relating to royal jelly and what a powerful substance it really is (for your health), this is my first ‘interactive’ experience in sharing the information. I am hoping you will like what you read, become a fan of royal jelly and all that it represents, and of course, share your own experiences here at my blog.
Of course this would not be a complete resource if it were to focus on royal jelly only. Over the coming weeks I’ll be exploring bee pollen, propolis and honey and delving into what makes the combination of all four such a complete and nutritious package.
If interest is out there I would like to expand the information to cover topics such as bee keeping and get into the debate on Colony Collapse Disorder.
There are many interesting topics to cover concerning bee products and I’ll be doing my best to bring as much information to my readers as possible.

Posted in bee products - general | Leave a Comment »

« Newer Posts