Nutritional value and chemical composition of larvae, pupae, and adults of worker honey bee, Apis mellifera ligustica as a sustainable food source

Abstract

Proximate nutrient compositions of dry larvae, pupae and adults of worker Apis mellifera ligustica were determined. Chemical analyses of the samples were carried out and the amounts of 16 amino acids, 10 fatty acids and 12 metals were measured and compared with their occurrences in conventional foods of animal and plant origin. Our results show that as the larvae progress to the imago stage, carbohydrate and fat contents decrease from 46.1 and 14.5% to 30.6 and 6.9%, respectively, while protein amounts increase from 35.3 to 51%. Honeybees at all developmental stages could be an ideal food item on account of their high protein content, balanced composition of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, and in particular their highly significant amounts of iron and zinc. We conclude that not only would bees as a source of food, feed, or dietary supplement be able to ameliorate the prospects of global food security but they could also improve the economic situation of the small and medium scale bee keepers if they themselves in addition to other hive products became an accepted hive product.