OFFER MALE FOR “ROYAL JELLY”

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28347, 5 August 1957, Page 16

OFFER MALE FOR “ROYAL JELLY”

Beekeeper Quoted £l5O An Ounce "The Press” Special Service HAMILTON, August 4. Offers to a New Zealand beekeeper to buy “royal jelly,” a special food produced by bees, at £9O to £l5O an ounce, were ipentioned at the National Beekeepers’ Association conference in Hamilton. The executive is investigating the possibilities of production. and export. Mr Rex Hillary, of South Auckland, said he had been approached by a company buying extensively in Australia and South Africa. Thp price quoted depended on the quality. The president, Mr J. W. Fraser, said the Honey Marketing Authority Ijad received some inquiries from overseas about possible production of “royal jelly” in New Zealand for export.

The jelly was a special food fed to the eggs of bees to produce queen bees which have high fertility. Eggs not fed on the jelly become worker or drone bees.

Although there was no scientific backing for the claims made for the properties of the jelly, said Mr T. Palmer-Jones, of the Wallaceville Research Station, it was possible that research into

its medical and biological properties could reveal it to be of considerable value. Cosmetics and Pills

On the Continent, toilet and cosmetic preparations containing a small amount of the jelly were selling at enormous prices. Pills containing the jelly were o,n sale in London.

It was possible that its uncontrolled use could even be harmful. Research into its properties was continuing, but until z it had been proved of value medically he considered it unwise to start producing it. It required td.be less than three days old, but seemed to keep indefinitely with refrigeration. Mr F. Bates, of South Auckland, said there had b.een worldwide interest in the jelly and one report was that the Pope had been injected with it.

Now was the time to look into the matter, said Mr O. Pearson. The industry needed to be in a position, to put it on the market immediately. If thousands of wealthy people wanted to live longer, “we want to cash in on it.”