Royal jelly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Royal jelly is a type of bee secretion that aids in the development of immature or young bees. It is secreted by the heads of young workers and used (amongst other substances) to feed the young until they develop to the desired rank. If a queen is desired, the hatchling will receive only royal jelly as its food source, in order that she will become sexually mature and have the fully developed ovaries needed to lay more eggs for the hive.

[edit] Cultivation

Royal jelly is produced by stimulating colonies with movable frame hives to produce queen bees. Royal jelly is collected from each individual queen cell when the larvae is about four days old.

A well-managed hive during a season of 5-6 months can produce approximately 500g of royal jelly. Since the product is perishable, producers must have immediate access to proper cold storage (e.g. a household refrigerator or freezer) in which the royal jelly is stored until it is sold or conveyed to a collection centre.

This product is combined with honey for preservation, as it spoils easily.

[edit] Uses

People collect and sell royal jelly as a dietary supplement, claiming various health benefits and nutrients such as B-complex vitamins, including a high concentration of pantothenic acid (vitamin B₅) and vitamin B₆ (pyridoxine), acetylcholine, minerals, enzymes, hormones, eighteen amino acids, antibacterial and antibiotic components, and vitamins A, C, D and E.

Royal jelly can also be found in several beauty products, such as Burt's Bees Royal Jelly Eye Creme.

For some animal rights advocates and other groups such as vegans, the collection of royal jelly for human use is considered unethical. ^{(Weasel Statement)}

[edit] Sources

• Balch, Phyllis A.; Balch, James F. (2000). Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Third Edition. New York: Avery. ISBN 1-58333-077-1.
• Piana, Dr. Lucia FAO Chapter 6 Royal Jelly
• Ammon, R. and Zoch, E. (1957) Zur Biochemie des Futtersaftes der Bienenkoenigin. Arzneimittel Forschung 7: 699-702
• Blum, M.S., Novak A.F. and Taber III, 5. (1959). 10-Hydroxy-decenoic acid, an antibiotic found in royal jelly. Science (journal), 130 : 452-453
• Bonomi, A. (1983) Acquisizioni in tema di composizione chimica e di attivita' biologica della pappa reale. Apitalia, 10 (15): 7-13.
• Braines, L.N. (1959). Royal jelly I. Inform. Bull. Inst. Pchelovodstva, 31 pp (with various articles)
• Braines, L.N. (1960). Royal jelly II. Inform. Bull. Inst. Pchelovodstva, 40 pp.
• Braines, L.N. (1962). Royal jelly III. Inform. Bull. Inst. Pchelovodstva, 40
• Chauvin, R. and Louveaux, 1. (1956) Etdue macroscopique et microscopique de lagelee royale. L'apiculteur.
• Cho, Y.T. (1977). Studies on royal jelly and abnormal cholesterol and triglycerides. Amer. Bee 1., 117 : 36-38
• De Belfever, B. (1958) La gelee royale des abeilles. Maloine, Paris.
• Destrem, H. (1956) Experimentation de la gelee royale d'abeille en pratique geriatrique (134 cas). Rev. Franc. Geront, 3.
• Giordani, G. (1961). [Effect of royal jelly on chickens.] Avicoltura 30 (6): 114-120
• Inoue, T. (1986). The use and utilization of royal jelly and the evaluation of the medical efficacy of royal jelly in Japan. Proceeding sof the XXXth International Congress of Apiculture, Nagoya, 1985, Apimondia, 444-447
• Jean, E. (1956). A process of royal jelly absorption for its incorporation into assimilable substances. Fr. Pat., 1,118,123
• Jacoli, G. (1956) Ricerche sperimentali su alcune proprieta' biologiche della gelatina reale. Apicoltore d'Italia, 23 (9-10): 211-214.
• Karaali, A., Meydanoglu, F. and Eke, D. (1988) Studies on compositon, freeze drying and storage of Turkish royal jelly. J. Apic. Res., 27 (3): 182-185.
• Lercker, G., Capella, P., Conte, L.S., Ruini, F. and Giordani, G. (1982) Components of royal jelly: II. The lipid fraction, hydrocarbons and sterolds. J. Apic. Res. 21(3):178-184.
• Lercker, G., Vecchi, M.A., Sabatini, A.G. and Nanetti, A. 1984. Controllo chimicoanalitico della gelatina reale. Riv. Merceol. 23 (1): 83-94.
• Lercker, G., Savioli, S., Vecchi, M.A., Sabatini, A.G., Nanetti, A. and Piana, L. (1986) Carbohydrate Determination of Royal Jelly by High Resolution Gas Chromatography (HRGC). Food Chemistry, 19: 255-264.
• Lercker, G., Caboni, M.F., Vecchi, M.A., Sabatini, A.G. and Nanetti, A. (1992) Caratterizzazione dei principali costituenti della gelatina reale. Apicoltura 8:11-21.
• Nakamura, T. (1986) Quality standards of royal jelly for medical use. proceedings of the XXXth International Congress of Apiculture, Nagoya, 1985 Apimondia (1986) 462-464.
• Rembold, H. (1965) Biological active sustance in royal jelly. Vitamins and hormones 23:359-382.
• Salama, A., Mogawer, H.H. and El-Tohamy, M. 1977 Royal jelly a revelation or a fable. Egyptian Journal of Veterinary Science 14 (2): 95-102.
• Takenaka, T. Nitrogen components and carboxylic acids of royal jelly. In Chemistry and biology of social insects (edited by Eder, J., Rembold, H.). Munich, German Federal Republic, Verlag J. Papemy (1987): 162-163.
• Wagner, H., Dobler, I., Thiem, I. Effect of royal jelly on the peirpheral blood and survival rate of mice after irradiation of the entire body with X-rays. Radiobiologia Radiotherapia (1970)11(3): 323-328.

[edit] Other meanings of royal jelly

[edit] Literature

The short story Royal Jelly by Roald Dahl was published in the February 1983 issue of The Twilight Zone Magazine. This also became a Tale of the Unexpected.

[edit] Science Fiction

In the extended Alien universe, Royal Jelly is a highly addictive substance secreted by a queen Xenomorph and highly coveted by the Weyland-Yutani corporation, who use it to produce performance enhancing drugs.