Commercial Pollen Testing
The following data sheets are the results of testing commercial pollen being sold on the market through large supply companies.
The story behind the story.....
In early 2008, a few select beekeepers started questioning where pollen had first originated, and then sold in the bee supply companies. Among others things, the listing of nutrition was lower in some supplemental feeds, after pollen was added. Making the quality of pollen very questionable on the market. After invited a representative from one of the major supply companies to voice their position in discussions, two things were divulged. 1) The pollen was not being added for nutritious purposes. It was being added to increase palatability of the pollen supplement. 2) The pollen was being brought in from China. This was the first time I can recall a major company acknowledging their pollen was being brought in from China.
About two weeks later, I was contacted by several beekeepers asking me where I bought my pollen. The conversations were based on pollen being pulled off the shelves from the company that divulged their pollen was being imported from China. It seems this created a small run on pollen and normal buyers were finding their normal source closed.
I then contacted a west coast provider of pollen. I purchased two 25 pound bags. The customer service representative at the end of the order asked me if this was being bought for bee feed. I said Yes. She stated that the pollen was ok for bee feed, but not for human consumption. Wow, what thoughts this started. I was buying pollen that could be used in the very hives that I produced honey and yet was not good enough for me to eat directly.
After receiving the pollen, I stored it away in a refrigerator. A month later I got a letter from the USDA requesting that any pollen I had previously bought, be returned to the supplier from which I purchased it. They followed that mailing request with a phone call. I specifically asked what was the problem? They stated that it was labeled wrong. I asked "Was there any problem with the pollen?" The representative stated the pollen was ok, but due to labeling problems, it needed to be returned. I stated that I did not have any left. The conversation ended. In the following two weeks, I received another warning letter, and two phone calls from the supplier that sold me the pollen. I kept thinking how odd that they so strongly wanted their pollen returned. I sent back nothing.
In late 2008, I paid for, and sent a sample off to Penn State for testing. What you see below is the testing results of that pollen.
The three chemicals detected were:
Fluvalinate - The ingredient in Apistan. 52.5 PPB with LOD of 1
DDT - 6 PPB with LOD of 20. Does not sound bad until you understand that DDT does not dissipate over time or break down on the same levels as other chemicals. It has compounding effects in fatty tissue and brain cells. Continuous consumption of DDT at the same level just means the amounts stored in the victim, will compound until massive amounts will have dire consequences.
2,4 Dimethylphenyl formamide (DMPF) 9.8 PPB with LOD of 4
From these results, one can reasonably conclude that the chemical of choice of Chinese beekeepers for mite control is a fluvalinate based product. That or they use it in massive amounts in other agriculture practices and the bees are collecting it. Fluvalinate is also used off label by some beekeepers by using products such as MAVRICK or Tacktic, which are what some consider pure forms of the product. The use includes soaking cardboard, coasters, shop towels, etc., and placing it into the beehive. A practice seen in the U.S. for years in the commercial bee industry.
The DDT was shock to us. Many suggest a residual amount could be found in many agriculture products in the U.S. even though it was banned in the early 70's. But did you know that one of the largest manufacturers of DDT is in New Jersey. Although we can not use it here in the U.S., we manufacture and sell DDT to many countries around the world. To think that DDT was finding it's way into bee hives in the states through massive quantities of foreign pollen being sold, really ticked us off.
Ironically, the removal of the foreign pollen was not ultimately due to diligent and concerned beekeepers asking the right questions. A follow-up conversation with a large supply company official, confirmed the following. A Canadian pollen supplement company was listening in on the conversation (internet chat) being made in early 2008. They made phone calls to the USDA and other folks, not for the goodness of helping beekeepers. But to smash a competitor and only from what some would suggest as dirty politics.
So how much of this pollen was sold through the major supply companies in the U.S.? How many beekeepers bought supplement patties with pollen added? What was the effect on hive health? How many commercial operations with CCD losses were making, using, and feeding bee colonies tainted pollen? We may never know. And it seemed the few people I contacted about this, were more than willing to sweep it under the rug.
I was once told that all goods coming into the states was irradiate. I know cosmetics and spices are irradiated. Not sure if that applies to pollen or other food products. It would seem not, because the chemicals were certainly there for all to find. And I was told that this irradiation would break down and clean up chemicals such as pesticides. Nobody had a vested interest in testing pollen over the years it seems. No money in that.
