ICS 67.100.99 
 
Reference number  
RS 568: 2023  
© RSB 2023  
  
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS 
568  
 
First edition  
2023 -mm-dd 
 
Bee bread — Specification  
   
DRS 568: 2023  
©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2023  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without 
prior written permission from R SB. 
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Website: www.rsb.gov.rw  
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw   DRS 568: 2023  
iii                ©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  2 
4.1 General  requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  2 
4.2 Specific  requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  3 
5 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  3 
5.1 Heavy metal s ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 3 
5.2 Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs  ................................ ................................ ............  3 
6 Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  3 
7 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 4 
8 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  4 
9 Nutritional and health claims  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 4 
10 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 4 
 DRS 568: 2023  
©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved                  iv 
 Foreword   
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task of technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards adopted 
by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and gazettment as 
Rwanda Standards.  
RS 568 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 027, Beekeeping and beekeeping products .  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Beekeeping and beekeeping 
products  (RSB/TC 027) in the preparation of this standard.  
Paragraph of p articipants  
KOPAKI  
Buranga General Business Ltd  
Just Ent Co Ltd  
Jambo Honey Rwanda  
Independent Expert  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  DRS 568: 2023  
v                ©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved  
 Introduction   
Bee bread also called  ambrosia is a unique product for humans and bees . It is formed from pollen, honey and 
secretions of bees’ salivary glands which are packed by the bees into the honeycomb and covered with wax 
and honey. During the preservation, the content is submitted to lactic fermentation caused by bacteria and yeast 
in the bee nest medium thus resulting in bee bread which has a caramel colour, a tangy taste which is given by 
its citrus, flowers or other fruit flavours . Bee bread is the protein basis of food in the  beehive  and an important 
source of different compounds (mainly phenolics) which present antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor and 
neuroprotective activity.RS 568: 2023  
1                ©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved  
  
Bee bread — Specification   
1 Scope  
This Rwanda  Standard specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for bee bread  intended for human 
consumption.  
2 Normative references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of  their content constitutes 
requirements of this document.  For dated references, only the edition  cited applies. For undated references, the 
latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
CAC/GL 50 , General guidelines on sampling  
AOAC 920.85 , Fat (crude) or ether extract in flour  
AOAC 978.04,  Nitrogen (Total) (Crude protein) in plant  
EAS 38 , Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
EAS 39 , Hygiene in the food and drinks manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
RS EAS 804 , Claims on food — General requirements  
RS EAS 805 , Use of nutrition and health claims — Requirements  
ISO 1666 , Starch — Determination of moisture content — Oven -drying method  
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — Part 
1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique  
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and serotyping 
of salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp  
ISO 6888 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 2: Technique using rabbit 
plasma fibrinogen agar medium  
ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of yeasts 
and moulds — Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0.95   
©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved                  2 
 ISO 10520 , Native starch — Determination of starch content  
ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -
glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 -bromo -4-chloro -
3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
bee pollen  
the result of the agglutination of pollens collected by worker bees from flowers, with nectar (and/or honey) and 
salivary substances   
3.2 
bee bread  
combination of honey, bee saliva, and bee pollen that is fermented and used to feed the hive . 
3.3 
impurities  
any material which is not characteristic to the product including bee stings, bee wings, sand and stones  etc 
3.4 
food grade material  
Material made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not alter the 
quality, safety or organoleptic properties of the product  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General  requirements  
Bee bread shall:  
a) have characteristic appearance, colour, taste, odour and flavour depending on floral  source; and  
b) not contain impurities such as moulds, live or dead insects, larvae or eggs, propolis, wax, plant particles, 
soil, sand or any other matter which is not characteristic to the  product.  RS 568: 2023  
3                ©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved  
 4.2 Specific  requirements  
Bee bread shall comply with the specific requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 1 — Specific requirements for bee bread  
 
S/N Parameter  Requirement  Test method  
i)  Moisture, m/m, max%  
 20 
  
ISO 1666  
ii)  pH 4-5 ISO 24382  
iii)  Carbohydrates, m/m, %, min.  72 ISO 10520  
iv)  Fat content, m/m, %, min.  5 AOAC 920.85  
v)  Protein content, m/m, %, min.  18 AOAC 978.04  
vi)  Ash content , m/m, %, max  
-Total ash  
-Acid insoluble ash                    
342 
0.3 AOAC 920.85  
5  Contaminants  
5.1 Heavy metal s 
The product  covered by this Standard shall comply with those maximum levels for heavy metals established by 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
5.2 Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs  
The product shall comply with pesticides and veterinary drugs maximum residue limits for bee pollen  established 
by the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
6  Hygiene  
Bee bread shall be processed and handled in hygienic manner in accordance with the EAS 39 and shall comply 
with the microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test methods specified therein.  
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for bee bread  
S/N Micro-organism  Limit  Test method  
i)  Total viable Count, cfu/g, max.  103 ISO 4833 -1 
ii)  Yeast and moulds, cfu/g, max.  102 ISO 21527 -2 
iii)  Escherichia coli, cfu/g,max  Absent  ISO 16649 -2  
©RSB 2023 - All rights reserved                  4 
 iv)  Staphylococcus aureus  cfu/g  Absent  ISO 6888 -2 
v)  Salmonella spp , per 25 g  Absent  ISO 6579 -1 
 
7 Packaging  
Bee pollen shall be packaged in food grade material that protects the integrity and safety of the product.  
8  Labelling  
In addition to the labelling requirements given in EAS 38, the package shall be legibly and indelibly labelled with 
the following information:  
a) name of the product as “Bee bread”;  
b) name and address of the processor  
c) warning: “This product may cause allergic  reactions”; and  
d) date of harvest.  
9 Nutritional and health claims  
Any nutritional and health claims associated with this product shall be in accordance with RS EAS 805 and shall 
follow nutritional labelling concepts in accordance with RS EAS 804.  
10 Sampling  
Sampling of bee pollen shall be done in accordance CAC/GL 50.  DRS 568: 2023  
 
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