Quality and safety of food supplements based on bee products

Cilj je ovog rada bio ispitati kvalitetu i sigurnost dodataka prehrani na bazi pčelinjih proizvoda. Provedene su analize vezane uz prisutnost teških metala i mikronutrijenata, konzervansa i sladila u odabranim uzorcima kao i ispitivanje mikrobioloških parametara te parametara kvalitete. Provjerena je usklađenost deklaracija ispitivanih uzoraka s važećim zakonskim propisima za označavanje dodataka prehrani. U svrhu procjene sigurnosti ispitivanih uzoraka provedeno je istraživanje putem anketnog upitnika među širom populacijom kao i putem službenih upita prema tijelima državne uprave, agencijama i institucijama nadležnima za pitanja dodataka prehrani i pčelinjih proizvoda. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju kako od ukupno ispitanih uzoraka njih 11 (21,57 %) sadrži povećanu koncentraciju ukupnog arsena, 3 uzorka (5,88 %) sadrže povećanu koncentraciju ukupnog željeza, 8 uzoraka (15,68 %) ima povećanu koncentraciju ukupnog nikla, 3 uzorka (5,88 %) sadrže povećanu koncentraciju cinka dok 1 uzorak (1,96 %) sadrži povećanu koncentraciju selena. Kao parametri kvalitete u dodacima prehrani na bazi propolisa određeni su suha tvar i koncentracija tri flavonoida (kvercetin, apigenin, krizin), dok je kod 15 uzoraka na bazi matične mliječi analizirana prisutnost 10-HDA kao potvrda njihove izvornosti. Pregledom označavanja ispitivanih uzoraka iz ovog rada, za njih nešto više od 41 % utvrđeno je kako nisu u skladu s propisima označavanja. Izostavljanje označavanja tvari ili proizvoda, koji uzrokuju alergije ili intolerancije predstavlja najveću opasnost za zdravlje potrošača. Na osnovi rezultata dobivenih ovim istraživanjem može se zaključiti kako postoji potreba za uspostavom sustava nutrivigilancije za dodatke prehrani na bazi pčelinjih proizvoda, a koji trenutno ne postoji u Republici Hrvatskoj.The aim of this study was to examine the quality and safety of food supplements based on bee products. Analyses related to the presence of heavy metals and micronutrients, preservatives and sweeteners in selected samples as well as testing of microbiological parameters and quality parameters were performed. The compliance of the declarations of the tested samples with the applicable legal requirements for the labelling of food supplements was checked. In order to assess the safety of the tested samples, a survey was conducted through a questionnaire among the general population as well as through official inquiries to state administration bodies, agencies and institutions responsible for food supplements and bee products. The obtained results show that out of the total tested samples 11 of them (21.57%) contained increased concentrations of total arsenic, 3 samples (5.88%) contained increased concentrations of total iron, 8 samples (15.68%) had increased concentrations of total nickel, 3 samples (5.88%) contained increased zinc concentrations while 1 sample (1.96%) contained increased selenium concentrations. Dry matter and concentrations of three flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin, chrysin) were determined as quality parameters in propolis-based food supplements, while the presence of 10-HDA was analysed in 15 royal jelly-based samples to confirm their authenticity. By reviewing the labelling of the tested samples from this paper, slightly over 41% of them were found to be inconsistent with the labelling requirements. Omission of the labelling of substances or products that cause allergies or intolerances poses the greatest danger to consumers’ health. Based on the results obtained in the course of this study, it can be concluded that there is a need to establish a nutrivigilance scheme for food supplements based on bee products, which currently does not exist in the Republic of Croatia