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The lactic acid bacteria involved in the production of bee pollen and bee bread

Vasquez, Alejandra LU and Olofsson, Tobias LU (2009) In Journal of Apicultural Research 48(3). p.189-195
Abstract
Recently a large flora of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was identified in the honey stomach of the honey bee Apis mellifera. In this study, the presence of this flora in bee pollen and bee bread was investigated. Pollen was collected from the legs of honey bees, and both two week old and two month old bee bread were also obtained for the study. Bacterial isolates cultivated from these bee products were identified using 16S rRNA gene analyzes. The majority of the honey stomach LAB flora was recovered in a viable state from both the pollen and the two week old bee bread, but not from the two month old bee bread. It is demonstrated for the first time that bee bread is probably fermented by the honey stomach LAB flora that has been added to the... (More)
Recently a large flora of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was identified in the honey stomach of the honey bee Apis mellifera. In this study, the presence of this flora in bee pollen and bee bread was investigated. Pollen was collected from the legs of honey bees, and both two week old and two month old bee bread were also obtained for the study. Bacterial isolates cultivated from these bee products were identified using 16S rRNA gene analyzes. The majority of the honey stomach LAB flora was recovered in a viable state from both the pollen and the two week old bee bread, but not from the two month old bee bread. It is demonstrated for the first time that bee bread is probably fermented by the honey stomach LAB flora that has been added to the pollen via regurgitated nectar from the honey stomach. This discovery helps to explain how honey bees standardize the production of bee bread and how it is stored. The presence of the honey stomach LAB and its antimicrobial substances in bee bread also suggests a possible role in the defence against honey bee diseases since the bee bread is consumed by both the larvae and the adult bees. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Lactobacillus, fermentation, honey stomach flora, bee bread, LAB, bee pollen, Bifidobacterium
in
Journal of Apicultural Research
volume
48
issue
3
pages
189 - 195
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000267851900007
  • scopus:69549122175
ISSN
0021-8839
DOI
10.3896/IBRA.1.48.3.07
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Biology building (Closed 2011) (011008000)
id
85c87487-28f9-4f51-b078-2c129fb69c98 (old id 1462518)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:05:16
date last changed
2022-04-29 00:28:51
@article{85c87487-28f9-4f51-b078-2c129fb69c98,
  abstract     = {{Recently a large flora of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was identified in the honey stomach of the honey bee Apis mellifera. In this study, the presence of this flora in bee pollen and bee bread was investigated. Pollen was collected from the legs of honey bees, and both two week old and two month old bee bread were also obtained for the study. Bacterial isolates cultivated from these bee products were identified using 16S rRNA gene analyzes. The majority of the honey stomach LAB flora was recovered in a viable state from both the pollen and the two week old bee bread, but not from the two month old bee bread. It is demonstrated for the first time that bee bread is probably fermented by the honey stomach LAB flora that has been added to the pollen via regurgitated nectar from the honey stomach. This discovery helps to explain how honey bees standardize the production of bee bread and how it is stored. The presence of the honey stomach LAB and its antimicrobial substances in bee bread also suggests a possible role in the defence against honey bee diseases since the bee bread is consumed by both the larvae and the adult bees.}},
  author       = {{Vasquez, Alejandra and Olofsson, Tobias}},
  issn         = {{0021-8839}},
  keywords     = {{Lactobacillus; fermentation; honey stomach flora; bee bread; LAB; bee pollen; Bifidobacterium}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{189--195}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Apicultural Research}},
  title        = {{The lactic acid bacteria involved in the production of bee pollen and bee bread}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3896/IBRA.1.48.3.07}},
  doi          = {{10.3896/IBRA.1.48.3.07}},
  volume       = {{48}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}