A group of researchers from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, developed a product made from native bee honey and cocoa bean shells that can be consumed directly or used as an ingredient in food and cosmetics. The results were published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry Engineering, which featured the study on its cover.
巴西圣保罗州坎皮纳斯州立大学（UNICAMP）的研究团队开发出了一种由本土蜂蜂蜜与可可豆壳制成的产品，可直接食用或作为食品及化妆品原料。该成果发表于《ACS可持续化学与工程》期刊，并荣登封面。
The researchers used native bee honey as an edible solvent to extract stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine, which are associated with heart health, from cocoa bean shells. These shells are usually discarded during the production of chocolate and other cocoa derivatives. The ultrasound-assisted extraction process also enriched the honey with phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
研究人员将本土蜂蜂蜜作为可食用溶剂，从可可豆壳中提取了与心脏健康相关的可可碱、咖啡因等活性物质。这些豆壳在巧克力及其他可可制品生产过程中通常会被丢弃。超声波辅助萃取工艺还使蜂蜜富含了具有抗氧化和抗炎特性的酚类化合物。
The researchers who tasted it say that, depending on the ratio of honey to shells, it has a strong chocolate flavor, although they are still planning tests on the product's taste and other sensory properties.
参与品尝的科研人员表示，根据蜂蜜与果壳的比例不同，该产品具有浓郁的巧克力风味，不过团队仍计划对产品风味及其他感官特性进行测试。
"Of course, the biggest appeal to the public is the flavor, but our analyses have shown that it has a number of bioactive compounds that make it quite interesting from a nutritional and cosmetic point of view," says Felipe Sanchez Bragagnolo, the first author of the study, which he conducted during his postdoctoral research at the Faculty of Applied Sciences (FCA) at UNICAMP in Limeira.
“当然，风味是吸引大众的关键，但分析表明其含有多种生物活性化合物，从营养和美容角度看都极具价值，”该研究第一作者费利佩·桑切斯·布拉加尼奥洛表示道。他在坎皮纳斯州立大学应用科学学院（FCA）利梅拉校区从事博士后研究期间完成了这项工作。
In partnership with INOVA UNICAMP, the university's innovation agency, the authors are looking for a partner interested in licensing the patented process and bringing the product to market.
研究团队正与校内创新机构INOVA UNICAMP合作，寻求有意授权专利工艺并推动产品商业化的合作伙伴。
Promoting biodiversity
促进生物多样性
In addition to promoting the sustainable use of local biodiversity, honey from native bees was chosen for its greater potential as a solvent because it generally has higher water content and lower viscosity than honey from European bees (Apis mellifera).
除推动本土生物多样性可持续利用外，选择原生蜂种蜂蜜还因其溶剂潜力更优——相较于欧洲蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）蜂蜜，原生蜂种蜂蜜通常含水量更高、粘度更低。
Honey from five species found in Brazil was tested: borá (Tetragona clavipes), jataí (Tetragonisca angustula), mandaçaia (Melipona quadrifasciata), mandaguari (Scaptotrigona postica), and moça-branca (Frieseomelitta varia). The cocoa shells were provided by the São Paulo State Department of Agriculture and Supply's Comprehensive Technical Assistance Coordination Office (CATI) unit in São José do Rio Preto.
研究测试了巴西五种本土蜂种的蜂蜜：博拉蜂（Tetragona clavipes）、贾泰蜂（Tetragonisca angustula）、曼达萨亚蜂（Melipona quadrifasciata）、曼达瓜里蜂（Scaptotrigona postica）及莫萨布兰卡蜂（Frieseomelitta varia）。可可壳原料由圣保罗州农业与供应厅下属的综合技术援助协调办公室（CATI）圣若泽杜里奥普雷图分部提供。
Mandaguari honey was initially chosen for process optimization due to its intermediate water and viscosity values. However, the optimized process was later used for the other honeys analyzed.
曼达瓜里蜂蜜因其适中的含水量和粘度值，最初被选作工艺优化试验样本。但优化后的工艺随后被应用于其他蜂蜜样本的分析。
Bragagnolo points out that honey is highly susceptible to external influences, such as climate, storage conditions, and temperature. "Therefore, it's possible to adapt the process to locally available honey, not necessarily mandaguari honey," he says.
布拉加尼奥洛指出，蜂蜜极易受气候、储存条件及温度等外部因素影响。“因此该工艺可适应当地可获取的蜂蜜，并非仅限曼达瓜里蜂蜜。”他强调道。
Green chemistry
绿色化学
Ultrasound-assisted extraction involves placing a probe, visually similar to a metal pen, inside a pot containing honey and shells. The probe uses sound waves to enhance the extraction of compounds from the shells, which then migrate to the solvent—in this case, honey.
超声波辅助萃取技术通过将类似金属笔的探头置于盛有蜂蜜与果壳的容器中实施。探头通过声波增强从蜂巢中提取化合物，这些化合物随后迁移至溶剂（本例中为蜂蜜）。
This method is efficient because it creates microbubbles that implode and temporarily increase the temperature to break down the plant material. This technique is considered environmentally friendly in the food industry because it is faster and more efficient than other methods.
该方法高效的原因在于其产生的微气泡会内爆，暂时升高温度以分解植物材料。由于比其他方法更快更高效，该技术在食品工业中被视为环保工艺。
This was one of the positive points in another assessment included in the study, which measured the product's sustainability. The Path2Green software was used. It was developed by a group led by Professor Mauricio Ariel Rostagno from FCA-UNICAMP, who is also Bragagnolo's postdoctoral supervisor and coordinator of the study.
该技术在研究中另一项可持续性评估中表现突出，评估采用Path2Green软件完成。该软件由坎皮纳斯州立大学食品化学与分析系毛里西奥·阿里尔·罗斯塔尼奥教授团队开发，罗斯塔尼奥教授既是布拉加尼奥洛的博士后导师，也是本研究的协调人。
The tool verified compliance with 12 principles of green chemistry, such as transportation, post-treatment, purification, and application. Using an edible, local, ready-to-use solvent was one of the most important factors. On a scale of -1 to +1, the product scored +0.118.
该工具验证了产品符合12项绿色化学原则，涵盖运输、后处理、净化及应用等环节。采用可食用、本地化、即用型溶剂是关键因素之一。在-1至+1的评分体系中，该产品获得+0.118分。
"We believe that with a device like this, in a cooperative or small business that already works with both cocoa and native bee honey, it'd be possible to increase the portfolio with a value-added product, including for haute cuisine," Rostagno suggests.
“我们认为，在已同时经营可可与本土蜜蜂蜂蜜的合作社或小型企业中，此类设备可助力拓展产品线，推出面向高端餐饮的增值产品，”罗斯塔尼奥建议道。
The researchers are preparing new studies to evaluate the effect of ultrasound on honey microbiology. As with plant material, the method breaks down the cell walls of microorganisms, such as bacteria, that can degrade the product.
研究团队正筹备新研究以评估超声波对蜂蜜微生物学的影响。与处理植物材料类似，该方法能破坏细菌等微生物的细胞壁，从而消除产品降解风险。
"Honey from native bees usually needs to be refrigerated, matured, dehumidified, or pasteurized, unlike honey from European bees, which can be stored at room temperature. We suspect that, simply by being exposed to ultrasound, the microorganisms contained in the honey are eliminated, increasing the stability and shelf life of the product," he explains.
"与可常温储存的欧洲蜜蜂蜂蜜不同，本土蜜蜂蜂蜜通常需要冷藏、熟化、除湿或巴氏杀菌处理。我们推测，仅通过超声波处理即可消除蜂蜜中的微生物，从而提升产品的稳定性和保质期，"他解释道。
In the future, they will test other applications using honey from native bees as a solvent for ultrasound-assisted extraction, such as processing other plant residues.
未来研究将测试其他应用场景，例如利用本土蜜蜂蜂蜜作为超声波辅助萃取的溶剂，处理其他植物残渣。
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