In a new study published in Nature, researchers from the University of Oxford have unveiled an engineered food supplement designed to address critical nutrient deficiencies in honeybee colonies.
This new product, developed through advanced synthetic biology techniques, could significantly enhance colony reproduction rates and provide a sustainable solution to the alarming decline of honeybee populations.
As agricultural practices and climate change continue to diminish floral diversity, honeybees are increasingly deprived of the essential nutrients found in natural pollen.
Traditional artificial pollen substitutes, primarily composed of protein flour, sugars and oils, fail to deliver the necessary sterols vital for bee health.
Recognising this gap, the research team collaborated with institutions including the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and the Technical University of Denmark to engineer a yeast, Yarrowia lipolytica, capable of producing a precise blend of six key sterols.
Lead author Dr Elynor Moore (Department of Biology, University of Oxford at the time of the study, now Delft University of Technology) said: “For bees, the difference between the sterol-enriched diet and conventional bee feeds would be comparable to the difference for humans between eating balanced, nutritionally complete meals and eating meals missing essential nutrients like essential fatty acids”.
She continued: “Using precision fermentation, we are now able to provide bees with a tailor-made feed that is nutritionally complete at the molecular level”.
The three-month feeding trials conducted in controlled environments demonstrated compelling results. Colonies that received the sterol-enriched diet reared up to 15 times more larvae to the viable pupal stage compared to those on conventional diets.
Furthermore, colonies on the engineered diet maintained brood production throughout the study, while those on sterol-deficient diets ceased after 90 days.
This breakthrough suggests that the engineered supplement not only matches the nutritional profile of naturally foraged pollen but also enhances the overall health and productivity of honeybee colonies.
The implications of this engineered supplement extend beyond bee health; they resonate deeply within the F&B sector, where honeybees play a crucial role in pollinating over 70% of leading global crops.
With commercial honeybee colony losses in the US ranging from 40% to 50% annually, and projections suggesting even higher rates in the coming years, this innovation offers a promising avenue for mitigating risks to food security and biodiversity.
Danielle Downey, executive director of the non-profit Project Apis m, said: “We rely on honey bees to pollinate one in three bites of our food, yet bees face many stressors. Good nutrition is one way to improve their resilience to these threats, and in landscapes with dwindling natural forage for bees, a more complete diet supplement could be a game changer”.
While initial results are promising, further large-scale field trials are necessary to assess long-term impacts on colony health and pollination efficiency. If successful, the supplement could be commercially available to farmers within two years.
Additionally, the technology behind this product may pave the way for dietary supplements tailored for other pollinators and farmed insects, further enhancing sustainable agricultural practices.