CA22105 - BEekeeping products valorization and biomonitoring for the SAFEty of BEEs and HONEY (BeSafeBeeHoney)

Since ancient times, honey has been a popular functional food due to its healthy properties based its bioactive compounds composition with antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Furthermore, the European honeybee, Apis mellifera, is the most important pollinator, crucial for food and plant production in general. However, bees are in decline, being threatened to extinction in Europe due to anthropogenic activities, including agriculture intensification and pesticide application. This have led to reduction of honey production with 40% of EU consumption being imported. Traying help and ameliorate honeybee colonies, the present groundbreaking network will deliver cooperation between international wide range beekeeping stakeholders and the innovative results will be related to the following topics:
1.     Honey and by-products nutritional and medicinal properties.
2.     Abiotic stressors and anthropogenic contaminants in the environment using hive products as indicators.
3.     Prevalent diseases and biotic stressors threatening honeybee colonies.
4.     Honeybees as pollinators in agriculture and consequences of lost colonies in agrarian ecosystems.
5.     Policy research and market analysis related with beekeeping activities.
BeSafeBeehoney, with a multi-actor approach, will bring together distinct expertise – chemistry, biology, ecology, veterinary, beekeeping, agrarian engineering, nutrition, economy, and policy to deliver breakthrough scientific developments. The importance of beekeeping is in line with SDG2, 12 and 15, aiming the promotion of sustainable agriculture, quality production, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The SDG5 seeking to achieve gender equality while still a constant challenge, in this team more than half of the members are women, young researchers and belonging to inclusiveness target countries.