Studies on the impact of fortified diet on selected tissue substrate mobilization in Apis cerana indica

G Vidhya; R Premkumar; T Ramesh Kumar

Studies on the impact of fortified diet on selected tissue substrate mobilization in Apis cerana indica

Authors
G Vidhya, R Premkumar, T Ramesh Kumar

Abstract
The colour of honey is characteristics of its floral source due to minerals and other minor components. Honey is classified into seven colour categories water white, extra white, white, extra light, amber, light amber and dark amber. Food fortification or enrichment is a process of adding extra nutrients to food. Fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of essential quality of the food supply with minimal health risk. In this study four groups of honey bees [Apis cerana indica [(F.)] were fed individually with carrot extract, tocopherol, egg albumin and a mixture of the three feed materials respectively while one group was allowed normal pasturage. The cages were kept in one kilometer distance to prevent cross feeding. The feeding experiment was continued for about three months and the total protein, free amino acid and free fatty acid content of the larval, pupal and adult tissues were analyzed. Protein and free amino acid increased in the bee groups fed with albumin and mixed feed. Free amino acid and free fatty acid increased in the bee groups fed with tocopherol and mixed feed. The food commodities used for fortification were supplied along with dilute honey and it was presumed that mobilization of substrates indicated the role of the various agents of fortification in the honey bee colony.

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