They highlight the contribution of the project that developed bioactive food for bees

Regional and academic authorities, beekeepers, professionals and students attended the closing ceremony of the FIC 19-46 project “Bioactive food for bees”, financed by the Innovation Fund for Competitiveness (FIC) of the Regional Government of Los Ríos.

This initiative was led by Dr. Ociel Muñoz, an academic at the Institute of Food Science and Technology (ICYTAL) of the Austral University of Chile. Its objective was to develop foods supplemented with bioactive compounds to contribute to a decrease in the mortality rate of honey bees in the Los Ríos Region.

In this regard, the regional governor, Luis Cuvertino, highlighted the relevance of this project, arguing that it is a space where innovation and experimental research show their first results. “We are convinced that these initiatives must continue their journey, they must seek new leveraging mechanisms due to the interest that the beekeeping sector has for the region and, in this context, feel good knowing that we have our resources well focused, with the sole objective to strengthen regional development.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the Vice-Rector for Research, Development and Artistic Creation, Dr. Germán Rehren congratulated the work team for the impact that this project has not only in the beekeeping sector but also for humanity due to the importance that bees they have for life and also because of the component of technology transfer to the environment that these initiatives have.

For his part, Vicente Gómez, representing the SEREMI of Agriculture of Los Ríos, stressed that these types of initiatives are innovations that favor “beekeeping production and with it also the adaptation to climate change of bees and will help us a lot in pollination and also in the production of food for the community, with which we can also advance in people’s food sovereignty, as our President Gabriel Boric has stated on many occasions”.

The manager of APIVAL, Daniel Sempe, indicated that “as associated agents it has been very interesting, because as beekeepers one of the needs is to have hives that are productive, which depends on the health of the bees, since our lives depend on that. income”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Muñoz thanked the project team for their commitment and valued the confidence of GORE for the development of this study, whose axis focused on the preparation of caloric and protein foods using individually raspberry and maqui as bioactive agents. for these foods.

The members of the project were, in addition to Dr. Ociel Muñoz, the graduates of the Master in Food Science Olga García, Victoria López, Patricio Olavarría and Madona Grimes and the student of the same program Eduardo Suazo.

david sempe

German Rehren

Vincent Gomez

ociel munoz

about food

The objective of raspberry and/or maqui protein foods is that they are used mostly during the winter, when the need for protein is highest and necessary for the growth of the young and defense against cold weather.

The idea is that the raspberry and/or maqui caloric foods are used at the end of winter, when the energy reserves of the bees are diminished, with the purpose of giving them an energy contribution so that they can go looking for their own food, when the first blooms begin, explained the project manager.

According to the results obtained, and according to the conditions in which this study was carried out, it can be concluded that raspberry and maqui show a positive effect on the acceptability of food by honey bees.

According to the results obtained, and depending on the conditions, it can be concluded that:

• It is possible to design and prepare supplementary foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates that meet the nutritional needs of bees.
• According to the shelf life indicators monitored for the four proposed food treatments, stability at 25⁰C shows the possibility of reaching beyond 88 days of shelf life.
• Fed hives have a higher survival than those that were not fed.

rmation in the Manual of Transfer, Use and Applicability of Food for Bees, which will be delivered in print to the users of this project (see manual).

closing seminar

On the occasion, a closing seminar was also held that included the following presentations:

• “Nutritional supplements and their potential to promote hive health and sustainable bee production”, exposed by Dr. Esteban Basoalto, academic of the Institute of Plant Production and Health of the UACh. In his address, he emphasized aspects that threaten hives, the decline of bee colonies or bee collapse syndrome, pests and diseases that affect them, giving value to the potential of nutritional supplements to promote the health of bees. hives and sustainable bee production.
• “Effects of climate change on bees and their diet: an ecosystem look”exposed Paula Claret, biologist with a mention in Biodiversity and Biological Conservation, addressing the effects of climate change on bees and highlighting their role in food production and oxygen generation through pollination, among other topics.
• “A look at the national beekeeping chain, trend and innovation for the sector”presented by the food engineer and master’s degree Patricio Olavarría, who referred to the importance for agricultural production, emphasizing the honey product and the potential that Chile and the region must continue to be competitive at a global level, putting Manuka honey from New Zealand as an example and making a comparison with ulmo honey from Chile.