Underexplored food safety hazards of beekeeping products: Key knowledge gaps and suggestions for future research.

These days, a growing consumer demand and scientific interest can be observed for nutraceuticals of natural origin, including apiculture products. Due to the growing emphasis on environmental protection, extensive research has been conducted on the pesticide and heavy metal contamination of bee products; however, less attention is devoted on other food safety aspects. In our review, scientific information on the less-researched food safety hazards of honey, bee bread, royal jelly, propolis, and beeswax are summarized. Bee products originating from certain plants may inherently contain phytotoxins, like pyrrolizidine alkaloids, tropane alkaloids, matrine alkaloids, grayanotoxins, gelsemium alkaloids, or tutin. Several case studies evidence that bee products can induce allergic responses to sensitive individuals, varying from mild to severe symptoms, including the potentially lethal anaphylaxis. Exposure to high temperature or long storage may lead to the formation of the potentially toxic 5-hydroxymethylfurfural. Persistent organic pollutants, radionuclides, and microplastics can potentially be transferred to bee products from contaminated environmental sources. And lastly, inappropriate beekeeping practices can lead to the contamination of beekeeping products with harmful microorganisms and mycotoxins. Our review demonstrates the necessity of applying good beekeeping practices in order to protect honeybees and consumers of their products. An important aim of our work is to identify key knowledge gaps regarding the food safety of apiculture products.

Influence of bone wax on bone healing: a case report and literature review.

The purposes of this article are to report the clinical case of a patient who exhibited a foreign body reaction associated with the use of bone wax after extraction of an impacted third molar and to present an integrative literature review addressing the possible influences of this hemostatic agent on bone healing. A 26-year-old woman who underwent the extraction of her mandibular right third molar developed intense alveolar bleeding during surgery, requiring the use of bone wax. In the 2-month postoperative period, the patient presented with intraoral edema and discharge of a purulent secretion via the alveolar route. After cone beam computed tomographic images revealed increased hyperdensity inside the alveolus, alveolar curettage was performed and the material that was obtained was submitted to histopathologic examination. The results of the histopathologic analysis proved conclusive for an inflammatory foreign body reaction associated with exogenous material. A search of the PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS databases identified 22 studies that evaluated the influence of this hemostatic agent on bone healing, and an integrative review involving 367 animals and 75 humans was compiled. Bone wax is a nonresorbable material capable of negatively influencing bone healing. It is suggested that the product be used cautiously in amounts that are just enough to promote the sealing of the bone channels.

Unusual complications of bone wax at the skull base.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical presentation, microbiological profile and management of complications of bone wax usage for surgical procedures at the skull base. METHOD: The case records of a series of five patients who developed post-operative surgical site complications because of bone wax usage during skull base surgery were reviewed. RESULTS: In all five patients, persistent site-specific clinical features were noted along with intra-operative presence of excessive bone wax. Three unique cases of presentation, one with a fungal brain abscess because of Aspergillus flavus infection, another with fungal osteomyelitis because of Trichosporon beigelii infection and a third with intradural migration of bone wax into the cerebellopontine angle cistern are highlighted. CONCLUSION: The presentation of surgical site infection at the skull base because of excessive use of bone wax can be manifold. The need for testing appropriate cultures including fungal culture is highlighted.

Chronic inflammatory reaction to bone wax in cochlear implantation: A case report and literature review.

Background: Cochlear implantation is a well-established treatment for severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss. While bone wax is used commonly during mastoidectomy and other bony surgeries as a hemostatic agent, there have been reports of bone wax triggering foreign body reactions, months to years after surgery. This report describes the first known foreign body reaction to bone wax used in cochlear implantation surgery. Case Presentation: A 6-year-old male presented with an unusual post-auricular inflammation two years after cochlear implantation. Extended treatment with oral and intravenous antibiotics failed to resolve the presumed infection. Upon exploration of the mastoid cavity, fragments of bone wax were discovered within the granulation tissue. Excision of bone wax fragments and local flap reconstruction resulted in complete resolution of the inflammatory process. Conclusions: Bone wax has been implicated in foreign body reactions in many different surgical specialties. This is the first reported case of an adverse reaction to bone wax after cochlear implantation. Clinically, the bone wax reaction was misinterpreted as an implant infection, which resulted in extended antibiotic use and delay of appropriate treatment. As a result, bone wax should be used judiciously during mastoidectomy, and particularly in the area of the electrode and soft tissue closure.

Chronic, Symptomatic Orbital Inflammation Resulting From Retained Bone Wax.

A 58-year-old man presented with a 9-month history of a chronically draining surgical wound and low-grade periorbital inflammation following a right lateral orbitotomy. Imaging of the right orbit revealed a peculiar lesion in the right lateral orbit that was hypointense on both T1- and T2-weighted MRI with peripheral enhancement. Exploratory orbitotomy and biopsy established the diagnosis of a chronic foreign body inflammatory reaction to bone wax; symptoms resolved following evacuation of the retained foreign material.A 58-year-old man developed a chronic, symptomatic, inflammatory reaction to bone wax following a lateral orbitotomy; only once previously has symptomatic orbital inflammation following orbital surgery as a result of bone wax been reported.

Mineral oils and waxes in cosmetics: an overview mainly based on the current European regulations and the safety profile of these compounds.

Mineral oils and waxes are mixtures of predominantly saturated hydrocarbons consisting of straight-chain, branched and ring structures with carbon chain lengths greater than C14. They have been used for many decades in skin and lip care cosmetic products due to their excellent skin tolerance as well as their high protecting and cleansing performance and broad viscosity options. In contrast to vegetable oils, mineral oils are non-allergenic since they are highly stable and not susceptible to oxidation or rancidity. They have a long history of safe use which is confirmed by clinical and epidemiological data. In Europe, mineral oils are only permitted in cosmetics if compliant with purity specifications on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and safety requirements laid down in the European pharmacopoeia and the EU cosmetics regulation EC/1223/2009. The high quality of these mineral oils is assured by robust quality assurance and a refining/purification process designed to exclude substances with carcinogenic potential and to minimize the presence of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons. Given their highly lipophilic properties, mineral oils do not penetrate human skin and, thus, are not systemically bioavailable in the body. Moreover, no significant changes in the skin and no effects on any internal organ system have been reported and attributed to the topical application of refined mineral oils. Regarding potential oral exposure from cosmetic lip care products, Cosmetics Europe, the European trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry, has advised cosmetic manufacturers to only use mineral oil fractions for which recognized food acceptable daily intake (ADI) values apply. The estimated dose of mineral oils ingested via lip care products contributes to <10% of the ADI value and should therefore be considered of no toxicological concern.

Contact allergy to beeswax and propolis among patients with cheilitis or facial dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Beeswax, both white and yellow, has many uses, such as in lip balm. This material can cause contact allergy, although not many cases have been described. METHODS: Ninety-five patients with contact cheilitis, facial eczema or a suspicion of contact allergy to beeswax were patch tested with yellow and white beeswax and with propolis, in addition to the Swedish baseline series. Patients who reacted positively to beeswax were additionally tested with caffeic acid, and two derivatives thereof that are believed to be important haptens in propolis. RESULTS: Seventeen patients had positive reactions to beeswax. Fourteen of these patients had been tested with both yellow and white beeswax. Among those 14, eight had positive reactions to both types of wax, five only to yellow wax, and one only to white wax. Of the 10 wax-positive patients tested with caffeic acid derivatives, three reacted positively. Fourteen beeswax-positive patients also had positive reactions to propolis. CONCLUSION: Patch testing cheilitis patients is important, as contact allergy is common. Our suggestion is to patch test, apart from the baseline series and the patient's own products, also with beeswax and propolis. Many beeswax-allergic cheilitis patients would not have been diagnosed with a relevant contact allergy if only the Swedish baseline series had been used.

Bone wax migrates to the orbit in a patient with a frontal sinus abnormality: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Bone wax is the most widely used hemostatic bone sealant because of its availability, ease of use, immediate action, and minimal adverse effects. Several complications have been reported to be associated with the use of bone wax, such as infection, osteohypertrophy, pain, granuloma formation, allergic reaction, and thrombosis. Here, we present a rare complication, namely, bone wax migration, which developed after a craniotomy on a patient who had a frontal sinus abnormality. CASE PRESENTATION: A 51-year-old woman complained of pain and swelling in her left eye accompanied by difficulty opening the left eyelid after undergoing a craniotomy. An examination revealed left eye proptosis with ptosis, eyelid swelling, and increases in intraorbital pressure and intraocular pressure (IOP). According to a CT and an MRI of the orbit, we found that the intraoperative bone wax had migrated to the orbit, thereby causing compression. We also found that the basal frontal sinus of the patient was congenitally defective, which may have induced the migration of the bone wax. Given that the patient recently underwent a craniotomy and given the risks associated with orbital surgery, she refused to undergo a surgery to remove the bone wax. Thus, the patient was administered mannitol intravenously daily, accompanied by topical Timolol, to reduce the intraorbital pressure and IOP. This treatment led to a gradual decrease in IOP and intraorbital pressure, and these parameters remained stable after treatment ended. During the 6-month follow-up, the best corrected visual acuity improved, and ptosis and restricted eye movements also improved significantly. CONCLUSIONS: We report a case of bone wax migration that developed after a craniotomy on a patient who had a congenital defect in the basal frontal sinus. Extra caution should be taken when using bone wax, and a comprehensive understanding of the patient's intracranial anatomy is important for decreasing the incidence of bone wax migration. Additionally, when a patient presents with symptoms of ocular compression, bone wax migration should be considered in addition to typical radiological changes.

An Unusual Complication of Bone Wax Utilization.

Bone wax is a commonly used hemostatic agent with minimal complications. Some of the known complications include inflammation, granuloma formation, infection, and impaired osteogenesis. Several clinical reports of bone wax migration have also been reported. In this paper, the authors present a rare patient of bone wax migration intracranially in a 6-year-old patient who initially underwent craniotomy for the evacuation of subdural hematoma and repair of depressed skull fracture. The patient then underwent craniotomy scalp scar revision several months later. Postoperatively he developed short-term memory loss, apraxia, and word finding difficulties. The imaging findings were consistent with the presence of a foreign body centered in the posterior aspect of the left middle temporal gyrus, which was surgically removed and found to be bone wax. The patient recovered well with complete improvement of his neurologic symptoms.

Bone wax extrusion through postauricular wounds: A case series.

Bone wax is an effective hemostatic agent that generally is considered safe. However, because it is nonabsorbable, significant complications can occur. We present the first two reported cases of delayed migration and extrusion of bone wax through postauricular wounds due to foreign body reaction and granuloma formation following mastoid surgery. We also present a literature review of complications associated with intraoperative bone wax use and discuss alternative hemostatic agents. Laryngoscope, 128:369-372, 2018.

Cuspal Deflection in Premolar Teeth Restored with Bulk-Fill Resin-Based Composite Materials.

The present study investigated the effect of three high-viscosity bulk-fill resin-based composite materials on cuspal deflection in natural teeth. Thirty-two sound maxillary premolar teeth with large slot mesio-occlusal-distal cavities were distributed into four groups (n=8). Three groups were restored with bulk-fill resin composite materials (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein; x-tra fil, VOCO, Cuxhaven, Germany; and SonicFill, Kerr, Orange, CA, USA) in a single 4-mm increment. The conventional composite group, Filtek Z100 (3M ESPE, St Paul, MN, USA), was used to restore the cavities in 2-mm increments. Cusp deflection was recorded postirradiation using a Nikon measurescope UM-2 (Nikon, Tokyo, Japan) by measuring the changes in the bucco-palatal widths of the teeth at five minutes, 24 hours, and 48 hours after completion of the restorations. Cuspal deflection was significantly higher in the conventional composite than in the Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill ( p=0.0031), x-tra fil ( p=0.0029), and SonicFill Bulk ( p=0.0002) groups. There were no significant differences in cuspal deflection among the three bulk-fill materials (all p<0.05). In conclusion, all the investigated bulk-fill resin composites exhibited cuspal deflection values that were smaller than those associated with a conventional incrementally placed resin composite.

Novel Sternal Protection Device for Cardiac Surgery Via Median Sternotomy Incision.

OBJECTIVE: Sternal bleeding during cardiac surgery is currently controlled using bone wax or other chemical substances that may result in adverse effects and affect wound healing and recovery. The purpose of this study was to identify a safe, cost-effective, and easy-to-use technique to reduce sternal bleeding and sternal trauma during cardiac surgery. METHODS: After sternotomy, a sternal protection device was placed over each hemisternal section before insertion of the retractor and remained in situ until the end of surgery. Sternal bleeding and ease of use were assessed and recorded during surgery. Sternal trauma was assessed and recorded within 5 minutes of removal of the device, and overall satisfaction (Global Impression) and any intraoperative adverse events or device malfunction were reported at surgery completion. Patients were followed up 24 hours and 4 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Twelve patients completed the study. Adverse events reported were not considered related to the device. No sternal trauma was identified in any patient. In 9 of 11 patients, sternal bleeding was reduced after insertion of the device. The device was generally considered easy to use, although some difficulty was encountered when used with the Internal Mammary Artery retractor. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the device is safe and able to reduce sternal bleeding during surgery using sternal retractors. We recommend further studies in a larger population of patients with a control group to evaluate the device's ability to reduce the morbidity associated with sternal bleeding and sternal trauma.

Postoperative Ptosis and Diplopia Induced by the Intraoperative Application of Bone Wax.

BACKGROUND: Bone wax is a hemostatic agent well used by neurosurgeons to prevent bleeding from bone. However, several complications involving bone wax have been reported, such as ptosis, infection, paraplegia, osteohypertrophy, edema, pain, granuloma formation, allergic reaction, and thrombosis. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 47-year-old female patient presented to our neurosurgery department complaining of headache and vomiting. Subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured aneurysm was detected on computed tomography (CT), and we performed emergent clipping of the ruptured aneurysm. During the maneuvers of craniotomy, the frontal base was slightly opened and bone wax of 6.7 × 3.5 × 5.7 mm was used to prevent bleeding from the bone edge and also to cover the opened site of the frontal base. Postoperatively, the patient started to complain of right ptosis and vertical diplopia. A CT image revealed that the bone wax in the right orbit was compressing the superior rectus muscle and the levator palpable muscle, which was thought to be the cause of the clinical symptoms. Removal of the bone wax was performed on postoperative day 21, after the patient surpassed the spasm period after subarachnoid hemorrhage without aggravation of neurologic deficits. Postoperative CT image confirmed removal of the bone wax in the orbit. The right ptosis and diplopia improved partially after the second operation. CONCLUSIONS: The authors report a case with complications of ptosis and diplopia after the use of bone wax. Bone wax should be used minimally to the extent possible to avoid an unexpected harmful event.

Successful treatment of generalized refractory chronic periodontitis through discontinuation of waxed or coated dental floss use: A report of 4 cases.

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW: Generalized refractory chronic periodontitis is a periodontal condition that is resistant to conventional therapy. Management of this condition often is frustrating to both the patient and the clinician. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: The authors present 4 cases of generalized refractory chronic periodontitis characterized by an inflammatory gingival response and progressive bone loss that did not respond to extensive periodontal treatments and regular periodontal care. Histologic examination of affected gingival tissue revealed an abundance of plasma cells, a feature seen in certain oral contact hypersensitivity reactions. The authors suspected that waxed or coated dental floss was the offending contactant, and its removal from the patients' oral hygiene regimens resulted in a dramatic improvement of the periodontal characteristics. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: In cases of periodontal disease as described in this report, dental practitioners should consider the possibility of a contact hypersensitivity reaction to waxed or coated dental floss, whereby the floss exacerbates the condition instead of assisting in its resolution.

Clinical safety evaluation of marine oil derived from Calanus finmarchicus.

Marine oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acid. These PUFAs are associated with health benefits and additional sustainable sources of marine oils are desirable. One of the source organisms is Calanus finmarchicus, a copepod endemic to the North Atlantic. PUFAs in the lipid fraction of this organism are largely in the form of wax esters. To assess the safety of these wax esters as a source of PUFAs, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted whereby 64 subjects consumed 2 g Calanus oil in capsule form daily for a period of one year. A group of 53 subjects consumed placebo capsules. At baseline, 6-, and 12-months, series of evaluations were conducted, including: vital signs, clinical chemistry and hematological evaluations, and adverse event reporting. Food intake and physical exercise were controlled by means of a questionnaire. There were no effects on Calanus oil treatment on any of the safety parameters measured. A slight increase in the incidence of eczema was reported in the Calanus oil group, but the response was minor in nature, not statistically significant after controlling for multiple comparisons, and could not be attributed to treatment.

Estimation of total soluble solids in grape berries using a hand-held NIR spectrometer under field conditions.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported the potential of near infrared (NIR) spectral analysers for monitoring the ripeness of grape berries as an alternative to wet chemistry methods. This study covers various aspects regarding the calibration and implementation of predictive models of total soluble solids (TSS) in grape berries using laboratory and in-field collected NIR spectra. RESULTS: The performance of the calibration models obtained under laboratory conditions indicated that at least 700 berry samples are required to assure enough prediction accuracy. A statistically significant error reduction (ΔRMSECV = 0.1°Brix) with P < 0.001 was observed when measuring berries without epicuticular wax, which was negligible from a practical point of view. Under field conditions, the prediction errors (RMSEP = 1.68°Brix, and SEP = 1.67°Brix) were close to those obtained with the laboratory dataset (RMSEP = 1.42°Brix, SEP = 1.40°Brix). CONCLUSION: This work clarifies several methodological factors to develop a protocol for in-field assessing TSS in grape berries using an affordable, non-invasive, portable NIR spectral analyser. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.