Posted on 06/07/2013 5:49:19 AM PDT by chessplayer
(Phys.org) A team of entomologists from the University of Illinois has found a possible link between the practice of feeding commercial honeybees high-fructose corn syrup and the collapse of honeybee colonies around the world. The team outlines their research and findings in a paper they've had published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The researchers aren't suggesting that high-fructose corn syrup is itself toxic to bees, instead, they say their findings indicate that by eating the replacement food instead of honey, the bees are not being exposed to other chemicals that help the bees fight off toxins, such as those found in pesticides.
Specifically, they found that when bees are exposed to the enzyme p-coumaric, their immune system appears strongerit turns on detoxification genes. P-coumaric is found in pollen walls, not nectar, and makes its way into honey inadvertently via sticking to the legs of bees as they visit flowers. Similarly, the team discovered other compounds found in poplar sap that appear to do much the same thing. It all together adds up to a diet that helps bees fight off toxins, the researchers report. Taking away the honey to sell it, and feeding the bees high-fructose corn syrup instead, they claim, compromises their immune systems, making them more vulnerable to the toxins that are meant to kill other bugs.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
How exactly did it go bad- turn to sugar or something else?
The researchers arent suggesting that high-fructose corn syrup is itself toxic to bees, instead, they say their findings indicate that by eating the replacement food instead of honey, the bees are not being exposed to other chemicals that help the bees fight off toxins, such as those found in pesticides.
This actually might make some sense, since honey has natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties. Still, wild bee populations are not being fed corn syrup, and they are being impacted too, so I doubt this is the primary cause.
Whew! I was concerned there for a minute.
One batch crystalized, another actually soured.
How does the genetic modification change the HFCS?
I like fish, why does it scare you?
my colonies collapsed and never had high fructose corn syrup.
They were, like hummingbirds, fed if necessary cane sugar syrup, home made, with no ill effects at all.
Fish genes do not belong in strawberry DNA.
Just because science has kinda sorta figured out a small percentage of what different parts of DNA do, does not mean they know what all of it does and what will happen down the road when natural or unnatural mutations occur.
This is the biological equivalent of saying, “Hold my beer and watch me do something cool.”
BTW, do you live in Rio Linda?
What do they do there that frightens you?
Yes, I’d like to know what you think the genetic modification does to the high fructose corn syrup.
Obviously the genetic modification doesn’t bring in the herbicide.
Are you claiming HFCS has BT toxin in it? How much?
Rio Linda? Is that where the people smarter than you live?
Must be the most populous city in the world.
Can you guarantee that they won’t cause any problems down the road?
Didn’t think so.
It can't be obvious from your research because you're too lazy to do any.
Please share your research that proves it does. Make it a good lefty source.
No, I'm not going to do your homework for you. From a biblical point of view it would be casting pearls before swine.
every bottle of 100% honey has gone bad before we finish the bottle.
You’re right, you don’t have to prove your lefty claim. Why start now?
Either crystallized or worse, soured. I can understand the sugar part, but not the sour.
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