ABSTRACT Due to their ecological and economic importance, honey bees have attracted much scientific attention, which has intensified due to the recent population decline of these insects in the several parts of the world. Among the factors related to these patterns, infection by pathogens are the most relevant, mainly because of the easy dissemination of these microorganisms. Although no zoonotic diseases are associated with these insects, the presence of infectious agents in bee products should still be considered because they play a role as disease dispersers, increasing the risk to animal health. Because of the possibility of dispersion of pathogens via bee products, this work aimed to identify the presence of spores of the pathogens Paenibacillus larvae, Ascosphaera apis and Nosema spp. in samples of honey, pollen and royal jelly that are registered with Brazil's Federal Inspection Service (S.I.F.) and commercially available in the state of São Paulo. Of the 41 samples of bee products analyzed, only one showed no contamination by any of these pathogens. N. ceranae and P. larvae had the highest prevalence considering all the samples analyzed (present in 87.80% and 85.37% of the total, respectively), with N. apis present in 26.83% and A. apis present in 73.17% of the samples. These results provide support for the formulation of government regulations for sanitary control of exotic diseases by preventing dispersion of pathogens, including through illegal importation, since local and international trade and the transfer of colonies between regions play important roles in the dispersion of these microorganisms.

RESUMO A geléia real pode conter grãos de pólen e sua presença pode ser usada para determinar a origem fitogeográfica do produto. Este estudo analisou a origem fitogeográfica de amostras comerciais de geléia real do Estado de São Paulo, com registro no Sistema de Inspeção Federal (SIF) brasileiro, que estavam contaminadas com os esporos da bactéria Paenibacillus larvae, causadora da doença Cria Pútrida Americana. Os grãos de pólen de Castanea apresentaram a maior porcentagem total, com menores percentuais de Cirsium/Carduus, Cistus, Parthenocissus, Prunus, Quercus, Robinia, Scrophulariaceae, Taraxacum, Tilia, dentre outros. Este espectro polínico é incompatível com amostras de geléia real produzidas no Brasil. O espectro polínico assemelhou- se ao de um produto importado, compatível com a origem do Hemisfério Norte. A legislação brasileira não exige que a origem fitogeográfica dos produtos apícolas importados seja analisada por procedimentos palinológicos, mas é obrigatório ter um certificado atestando a ausência de patógenos emitido pelo país de origem, monitorado com o objetivo de impedir que doenças exóticas penetrem no Brasil. A palinologia, portanto, provou ser fundamental na detecção de importações desses lotes contaminados.

ABSTRACT Royal jelly may contain pollen grains and their presence can be used to determine the phytogeographical origin of the product. This study analyzed the phytogeographical origin of commercial royal jelly samples from São Paulo State, tested as part of the Brazilian Federal Inspection System (SIF), found to be contaminated with spores of the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, that causes the American Foulbrood Disease. The pollen grains of Castanea had the highest total percentage, with lower percentages of Cirsium/Carduus, Cistus, Parthenocissus, Prunus, Quercus, Robinia, Scrophulariaceae, Taraxacum, Tilia, among others. This pollen spectrum is incompatible with royal jelly samples produced in Brazil. The pollen spectrum resembled that of an imported product, compatible with the Northern Hemisphere origin. Brazilian legislation does not require the phytogeographic origin of imported bee products to be analyzed by palynological procedures, but it is mandatory to have a certificate issued by the country of origin attesting the absence of pathogens, monitored with the objective of preventing the exotic diseases from entering Brazil. Palynology, therefore, proved to be fundamental in detecting imports of this contaminated batches.