Palatability Report – Super Protein Pattie and Candy Super Protein

Introduction

The study analyzed the palatability of Bee Science Nutrition’s protein products (Candy Board Super Protein© and Super Protein Pattie©) compared to competing commercial products. The main objectives included palatability testing of the products by bees and scientific validation of the ingredients used.

Materials and methods

For testing purposes, batches of 14 bee colonies were built, distributed in experimental hives in Timis and Bacau counties. The products tested included both commercial protein cakes and homemade protein products based on protein powders specially designed for this purpose. Protein adjustments in the products tested were made on the principle of protein equivalence. The tests involved recording the consumption after a standard duration of 5 days and determining the consumption of the products was done by weighing using analytical balance

Results

In all variants of protein content Bee Science Nutrition products outperformed almost all competing products in palatability. Candy Board Super Protein© outperformed all competing products, with the exception of the product in Lot 6, which was consumed 6% more than Candy Board Super Protein© adjusted to 3%, justifiably due to the difference in consistency. However, we do not consider Candy Board Super Protein© with 3% protein to be a suitable product for the market of protein products for bees. Products with less than 8% protein do not fulfill the physiological requirements of the bee family for a balanced protein supply and can only be used as a protein supplement in the presence of other natural protein sources, not as a main source of protein. Super Protein Pattie© was also more palatable than any competitor, with lower palatability than Candy Board Super Protein© due to differences in content, including protein (10.5% and 12.5% respectively).

Conclusions

Candy Board Super Protein© and Super Protein Pattie© demonstrated superior palatability and were preferred by bees over others. Products with optimized protein content and appropriate texture were better accepted. The study confirms the effectiveness of the ingredients used in Bee Science Nutrition products.