Properties and utilization of beeswax

摘要

This article covers whole things about beeswax. The first part describes the history of its use and production. The second part is for production of beeswax. The origin of beeswax is the wax scales from the wax glands of honeybees. The comb wax is processed into purified beeswax for use in variable fields. Chemical and physical properties of beeswaxes from 2 species of honeybees are compared in the third part. There are several differences between beeswaxes from both bee species, especially in theacidity. It of Apis mellifera is higher than that of A. cerana and according to the difference both waxes are separated into high acidity type and low one, respectively. Those differences are usually not based on the locality or floral conditions and just based on the species of honeybees. Because of high acidity beeswax of A. mellifera is better in emulsivety than that of A. cerana and usually there is no standards for beeswax of A. cerana Recently, beeswax of A. cerana can be used as a food additive in Japan. The fourth part mentions about utilization of beeswax and it is very diverse and complicated demands on the properties of beeswax, for example, that without odor, with white color, with no color, hard, soft, powdered, with high solubility in solvent, etc. In this part, typical use of beeswax also shows with pictures.