Contaminación por plaguicidas en miel y cera de abejas: implicaciones para la salud y la apicultura orgánica
Pesticide contamination in honey and beeswax: implications for health and organic beekeeping
Autor(es): Yamileth Yoshihey Mariano Aguilera, Neith Aracely Pacheco López, Ángel Humberto Cabrera Ramírez y Teresa del Rosario Ayora Talavera
Fuente: Mexican Journal of Technology and Engineering, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 14-21
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61767/mjte.004.3.1421
Resumen
La miel de Apis mellifera es un producto que se caracteriza por sus compuestos polifenólicos, como los ácidos fenólicos y flavonoides, para usos terapéuticos por su actividad antiinflamatoria, propiedades anticancerígenas, vitaminas C y E, enzimas, etc. La cera, otro producto de la colmena, se caracteriza por su estructura lipídica compleja, conformada por ésteres, hidrocarburos, ácidos grasos libres, etc., así como más de 300 compuestos bioactivos, y se emplea principalmente en el área cosmética y farmacológica. El uso indiscriminado de plaguicidas en la agricultura ha causado que residuos de estos contaminantes estén presentes en ellos. Estudios realizados en la Península de Yucatán han identificado plaguicidas que han impactado negativamente a los apicultores, ya que las abejas han sido afectadas, disminuyendo la producción, debilitando las colmenas y provocando su mortandad. Debido a esto, es importante realizar más investigaciones al respecto y mejorar las prácticas apícolas para el cuidado de las abejas y la calidad alimentaria, además de la concientización sobre el uso racional de plaguicidas; por lo que el objetivo de este artículo es analizar, visibilizar y exponer la problemática de la contaminación por residuos de plaguicidas en miel y cera de abejas de A. mellifera, su acumulación, los métodos de detección y los posibles efectos por la exposición.
Palabras clave: Apis mellifera, Yucatán, apicultura, residuos químicos, mortandad, contaminación alimentaria.
Abstract
Honey produced by the bee species Apis mellifera is characterized by its polyphenolic compounds, such as phenolic acids and flavonoids. These compounds are used for therapeutic purposes due to their anti-inflammatory activity and anticancer properties, as well as their vitamin C and E content and enzyme activity. Wax, another hive product, has a complex lipid structure consisting of esters, hydrocarbons, and free fatty acids, as well as over 300 bioactive compounds. It is primarily used in cosmetics and pharmacology. The indiscriminate use of pesticides in agriculture has resulted in residues of these contaminants being present in bees. Studies conducted on the Yucatán Peninsula have identified pesticides that have had a negative impact on beekeepers by affecting the bees, which has decreased production, weakened hives, and caused mortality. It is therefore important to conduct further research on this issue, improve beekeeping practices to ensure the health of bees and the quality of food, and raise awareness of the rational use of pesticides. The objective of this article is therefore to analyze and expose the problem of pesticide residue contamination in A. mellifera honey and beeswax, how it accumulates, how it is detected, and the possible effects of exposure.
Keywords: Apis mellifera, Yucatán, beekeeping, chemical residues, bee mortality, food contamination.
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