Industrial-Scale Decontamination Procedure Effects on the Content of Acaricides, Heavy Metals and Antioxidant Capacity of Beeswax
María D. Navarro-Hortal,
Francisco J. Orantes-Bermejo,
Cristina Sánchez-González,
Alfonso Varela-López,
Francesca Giampieri,
Cristina Torres Fernández-Piñar,
Josep Serra-Bonvehí,
Tamara Y. Forbes-Hernández,
Patricia Reboredo-Rodríguez,
Juan Llopis,
Pilar Aranda,
Maurizio Battino,
José L. Quiles
Affiliations
María D. Navarro-Hortal
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Alfonso Varela-López
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Francesca Giampieri
Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Specialistiche ed Odontostomatologiche—Sez, Biochimica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Research & Development Department, Mielso, S.A., Pol. Industrial ’El Mijares’, C/. Industria 1, 12550 Almassora (Castelló), Spain
Tamara Y. Forbes-Hernández
Nutrition and Food Science Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, CACTI, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Patricia Reboredo-Rodríguez
Nutrition and Food Science Group, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, CITACA, CACTI, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Juan Llopis
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Pilar Aranda
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Maurizio Battino
Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche Specialistiche ed Odontostomatologiche—Sez, Biochimica, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, 60131 Ancona, Italy
José L. Quiles
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix Verdú”, Department of Physiology, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, Avda del Conocimiento sn., 18100 Armilla, Granada, Spain
Beeswax is useful for the beekeeping sector but also for the agro-food, pharmaceutical or cosmetics sectors. Frequently, this bee product is contaminated with pesticides reducing its utility and causing the decline in its market. This study aimed to prove the effectiveness of an industrial-scale decontamination method in removing acaricides from beeswax. Chlorfenvinphos and coumaphos decrease was higher than 90%, whereas tau fluvalinate decrease was only 30%. No changes were observed in the beeswax content of hydrocarbons and monoesters, whereas a decrease in the concentrations of Ca, Fe, Zn, Hg, Mn and P, and an increase in the concentrations of As and Si were found after the decontamination. Filtration reduced total phenolics, flavonoids and the antioxidant capacity of the lipophilic extract. These results demonstrate that the industrial method used was as effective as the method previously tested on a laboratory scale. The study also contributes to a better knowledge and characterization of beeswax, specially related to trace and ultra-trace elements and antioxidant capacity. Moreover, it offers the chance to further develop a method to effectively detect wax adulterations based on the chemical elements profile.
