18
Sep
Over 300 Pesticides Identified in Contaminated Bee Pollen Around the World
(Beyond Pesticides, September 18, 2024) A literature review in Trends in Analytical Chemistry analyzes scientific articles from the last ten years from around the globe that identify more than 300 pesticides in bee pollen. Bee pollen, often used as an edible dietary supplement, is not regulated for pesticide residues, which sparks concern for human exposure due to contamination with pesticides, heavy metals, metalloids, and mycotoxins. “Bee pollen is a food supplement that is receiving increasing attention for its nutraceutical and therapeutic properties. However, several uncertainties on the safety of this beekeeping product still exist. The present work addressed this issue through the critical evaluation of 61 studies, published over the 2014–2024 period,†the Spanish authors state.
Bee pollen is produced by honey bees. After they forage on flowers and gather pollen on their hind legs (in pollen baskets or corbiculae) to transport back to the hive, it is moistened with nectar and salivary secretions to create bee pollen in the form of pellets. While the composition of bee pollen can vary between geographical locations with different flowers, the studies reviewed all utilize mass spectrometry to pinpoint pesticides, as well as mycotoxins (created by naturally occurring mold spores), that threaten human health.
“Pesticides are chemicals designed to control agricultural pests, hence preventing product losses, but their toxicity can also affect non-target species, including humans, causing various disorders such as metabolic syndrome, inflammation, and nerve injuries,†the researchers say. These effects have been widely documented in peer-reviewed scientific journals. See more coverage from Beyond Pesticides here.
The authors continue, “Despite the measures introduced by several governments to control pesticides overuse… their employment in agriculture [has] resulted in an increase of approximately 50% in average total pesticide use during the last decade. This scenario is expected to worsen because of climate change, which could provoke a geographical redistribution of agricultural pests, possibly causing a further increase in pesticides usage.†With the myriad of negative effects on health and the environment with this usage, advocates are alarmed and are calling for alternative measures.Â
The selected studies the researchers included in their review analyzed bee pollen samples globally, including Australia, Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Europe. Their results find that 358 pesticides were in the bee products tested in 53 of the studies, while seven mycotoxins were detected in the remaining eight studies. Many compounds were globally distributed, while others were more common in specific areas. The included studies offer a range of sampling parameters, with some focused on specific classes of pesticides, some occurring over many years, and some throughout multiple locations. One study analyzed 862 samples from 62 apiaries located in four U.S. states.
“Overall, an average of 118 pesticides were included in the scope of the reviewed literature, with some studies comprehending more than 300 analytes,†the researchers note. “An average of 27 chemicals were detected by each study, which corresponds to 23% of the average 118 compounds included in the analytical methods. Varied outcomes were observed across different studies, with the number of identified pesticides ranging from 0 (only in 2 studies) to 120.â€
The identified compounds are insecticides (40%), fungicides (28%), herbicides (21%), metabolites (6%), miscellaneous compounds (3%), and veterinary treatments (1%). This highlights the exposure of bees to these toxic chemicals and their degradation products, during foraging in croplands and gardens, which then transfer to bee-derived products such as bee pollen.Â
Of the pesticides detected, some were also miticides that beekeepers can use to combat Varroa mites. Amitraz and its degradation products (DMF and DMPF) were among those specified. Acrinathrin and chlorfenvinphos were also in the bee pollen samples analyzed, despite being banned in various countries, as they were previously widely used to combat hive infestations.
Many studies find high detection frequencies of neonicotinoid insecticides in bee pollen. “Despite their unique insecticidal effects, neonicotinoids have shown undesired effects, like high mobility in the environment, high persistence, and toxic effects on non-target organisms, including pollinators and human beings. For this reason, the outdoor employment of neonicotinoids like imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, and clothianidin—respectively detected in bee pollen by 62%, 28%, and 25% of studies conducted over the last 10 years—has been prohibited by several countries, including the EU [European Union],†the authors state. (See more studies on the negative effects of neonicotinoids here and here.)
The researchers continue, reporting that, “Besides neonicotinoids, other relevant compounds, banned by the EU for their toxicity, were detected in the selected studies. For instance, dimethoate, methomyl, and propargite were respectively found in bee pollen by 26%, 15%, and 9% of studies.†Chlorpyrifos and carbendazim were also frequently reported (detected by 55% and 43% of studies, respectively).
Currently for food products, the EU has Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in place for 666 pesticides across 13 food product categories such as fruits, vegetables, and spices. While there is a category for “honey and other apiculture products,†it does not include bee pollen. This is similar to other governmental authorities, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. and National Health Commission (NHC) and China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) in China.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a MRL Database with the established maximum acceptable levels of some pesticides (such as fluvalinate, spinosad, dichlorvos, coumaphos, and amitraz) in raw and processed honey. In raw honey, the levels are between 0.01-5 parts per million (ppm) while the processed honey limits are much higher. Compared to the thousands of pesticides available on the market, only a handful are included in this database.
In 2016, U.S. Right to Know shared an article saying, “In examining honey samples from various locations in the United States, the FDA has found fresh evidence that residues of the weed killer called glyphosate can be pervasive – found even in a food that is not produced with the use of glyphosate. All of the samples the FDA tested in a recent examination contained glyphosate residues, and some of the honey showed residue levels double the limit allowed in the European Union, according to documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. There is no legal tolerance level for glyphosate in honey in the United States.†Despite these concerning findings, to this day there are still not established MRLs for many widely used pesticides like glyphosate.
Data on pesticide residues in honey are numerous, with one study from 2020 reporting: “The results showed that 92 pesticide residues were found in honey samples from 27 countries. Six residues belong to class IA toxicity [of highly acute toxicity and severely irritating], eight residues belong to class IB toxicity, 42 residues belong to class II, 35 residues belong to class III and one residue belong to class IV toxicity.â€
Another study detected fluvalinate and coumaphos in honeycomb and wax up to 204 and 94 ppm, respectively, in North American apiaries while MRLs for both of those pesticides are well below 1 ppm in raw commodities. Additional studies from around the world, such as a study in Italy, have identified dozens of pesticide residues, including illegal compounds, in honey. This alphabet soup of pesticides present in ecosystems nationwide underscores the infiltration of pesticides and their breakdown chemicals into the broader ecosystem.
The authors say that “in the case of bee pollen, the scarcity of specific data on its consumption and contamination introduces a series of approximations, when performing the risk assessment, that often impede obtaining unambiguous results. In addition, the absence of common standards for bee pollen production and distribution makes these predictions even vaguer and potentially inaccurate.â€
The researchers are calling for international efforts to “harmonize risk assessment methodologies, and maximum levels of contaminants in food, especially in areas involving global food trade, to ensure consistent and reliable evaluations. The ultimate goal is to establish food safety standards based on scientifically sound risk assessments to protect public health.†There are current efforts through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), but this is a long-term process towards the standardization of production methodologies and the homogenization of safety regulations that are lacking.
The current bee pollen market, exceeded only by honey, was valued around $756 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at an average rate of 5.5% over the next 10 years. Bee pollen has become increasingly popular for human consumption, as it contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fibers, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. It is also “rich in essential elements like potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, and many more, making it a food supplement with potential health claims,†the authors note. Studies have also been conducted on rabbits and chickens where the supplementation of bee pollen improves the animal’s growth and antioxidant status. This shows potential for bee pollen to be used as a replacement for synthetic antibiotics. (See studies here and here).
With the rise in use of bee pollen as a natural supplement, the lack of internationally shared quality norms for its production and distribution is of concern. The presence of hundreds of contaminants in these beekeeping products enhances the need for not only better risk assessments and globally standardized food safety regulations but also safer alternatives that remove petrochemical pesticides from use in agriculture and land management.
The adoption of organic methods mitigates the exposure of all organisms, specifically beneficial insects like pollinators, to toxic chemicals. Managing all land organically, whether that is in parks, gardens, athletic fields, or croplands, focuses on the health of all organisms and the environment by starting at the foundation with soil health. Organic food, under the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA), embodies the expectations of organic agriculture with an ecological approach to farming that does not rely on or permit toxic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, sewage sludge, or irradiation.
Keeping Organic Strong is vital to protect all life. Take action to continuously improve upon the values and standards for organic food production that ensures protection of the ecosystem and biodiversity, mitigates climate change, and enhances human health.
All unattributed positions and opinions in this piece are those of Beyond Pesticides.
Source:
Carrera, M. et al. (2024) Unveiling bee pollen’s contamination with pesticides and mycotoxins: Current analytical procedures, results and regulation, Trends in Analytical Chemistry. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165993624004187.
