A descriptive sensory analysis of honeybee drone brood from Denmark and Norway

Abstract

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) brood is enjoyed as food in many regions of the world. The Nordic region of Europe is not currently one of them, but it could be. The drone brood in particular constitute an untapped source of delicious, nutritious and potentially sustainable food. Currently, it is removed by many beekeepers as part of a strategy to lower the population of the destructive Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) in the hive, but most often it is disposed of. A descriptive sensory analysis of drone brood was conducted, using larvae and pupae from four hives, three in Denmark and one in Norway, from locations spanning a range of urban/rural and monocultural/polycultural surroundings. Data were collected with a panel of 10 subjects using fast sensory methods, and were analysed with analysis of variance-partial least squares regression. The first dimension accounted for 40% of the variance, and correlated closely with differences in developmental stage between larvae and pupae; the second dimension accounted for 16% of the variance, and most closely grouped samples from three of the locations apart from those of the fourth. Developmental stage was thus found to be the primary determinant of sensory profile, followed by variations in locality, possibly related to local forage. Further studies should investigate the different parameters of sensory profile in more detail to develop a more complex picture of drone brood’s taste and culinary potential – an important part of developing strategies to diversify our food sources and realise certain insects’ ecological, culinary, and economic potential for local food systems.