Chemical Composition and Vitamin Content of Royal Jelly. ∗

Abstract

Summary

The composition and vitamin content of royal jelly, the substance responsible for the differentiation of the two castes of the female honeybee (Apis mellifera L.), has been determined by standard chemical methods and biological assays. Royal jelly has the following chemical composition: moisture, 66.05%; protein, 12.34%; total lipid, 5.46%; total reducing substance, 12.49%; ash, 0.82%; undetermined, 2.84%. Royal jelly protein has an average digestion coefficient of 81% and a biological value of 75% as determined by the Mitchell method. Royal jelly proved to be a good source of vitamin B₁, containing from 1.0 to 1.5 international units per gram. It contained no demonstrable amount of vitamin A or vitamin C. It has been previously shown that royal jelly contains little, if any, vitamin E.