Risks for human health related to the presence of grayanotoxins in certain honey

Natural Antidiabetic Agents: Insights into Ericaceae-Derived Phenolics and Their Role in Metabolic and Oxidative Modulation in Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease with a growing prevalence worldwide, leading to severe health complications. Current treatment relies on antidiabetic medications, which may have adverse effects, highlighting the need for alternative approaches. Natural compounds, such as phenolic compounds, have shown promise in glucose modulation. The Ericaceae family includes several plants with potential antidiabetic properties. This review examines the pathophysiology of diabetes, chemical composition, and specific Ericaceae species that have demonstrated antidiabetic effects. Studies indicate that Vaccinium species and other Ericaceae plants can lower blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity through mechanisms such as enzyme inhibition. These findings suggest that Ericaceae plants may serve as complementary strategies for diabetes management.

Creating the Equivalence Index to Optimize the Precise Evaluation of Bee Products for Functionally Opposite Components

Bee products, such as honey, bee pollen/bread, bee propolis and royal jelly foraged or secreted by honeybee workers, have been consumed by humans for many years and are important due to their complexity, the large number of them and the endemicity of their constituents. The health-promoting activities of bee products are widely documented all around the world. However, we have noticed a distinct but poorly described feature of bee products: groups of functionally opposite components (FOCs) related to blood sugar level, oxidative stress, cell membrane cholesterol distribution, cell membrane stability, cell membrane curvature, allergic reaction, cellular sodium influx and cardiac apoptosis that exist within these products. We then propose the Equivalence Index in order to overcome the challenges associated with FOCs; this is a concise mathematical model that can be used to optimize the evaluation of quality, determine any underlying mechanisms and provide processing guidance regarding bee products.

Underexplored food safety hazards of beekeeping products: Key knowledge gaps and suggestions for future research

These days, a growing consumer demand and scientific interest can be observed for nutraceuticals of natural origin, including apiculture products. Due to the growing emphasis on environmental protection, extensive research has been conducted on the pesticide and heavy metal contamination of bee products; however, less attention is devoted on other food safety aspects. In our review, scientific information on the less-researched food safety hazards of honey, bee bread, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax are summarized. Bee products originating from certain plants may inherently contain phytotoxins, like pyrrolizidine alkaloids, tropane alkaloids, matrine alkaloids, grayanotoxins, gelsemium alkaloids, or tutin. Several case studies evidence that bee products can induce allergic responses to sensitive individuals, varying from mild to severe symptoms, including the potentially lethal anaphylaxis. Exposure to high temperature or long storage may lead to the formation of the potentially toxic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Persistent organic pollutants, radionuclides, and microplastics can potentially be transferred to bee products from contaminated environmental sources. And lastly, inappropriate beekeeping practices can lead to the contamination of beekeeping products with harmful microorganisms and mycotoxins. Our review demonstrates the necessity of applying good beekeeping practices in order to protect honeybees and consumers of their products. An important aim of our work is to identify key knowledge gaps regarding the food safety of apiculture products.