The first Cera Rica Beeswax global contest

This unique, international Contest for beeswax has been organised by the Japanese Company Cera Rica Noda. The Contest was first announced in B&D36 and at the XXXIV Apimondia Congress.

Beekeeping Development is pleased to bring news of the winners

On 14 April 1999, the winners of the Contest were announced at the Award-giving Ceremony, held in Beijing Friendship Hotel, China.

First Prize: Beijing Bee Products Company, China. Awarded with gold-plated medal and an honorary certificate, plus US$2000.

Second Prize: Mrs Marieke Mutsaers, Netherlands. Awarded with silver-plated medal and an honorary certificate, plus US$1000.

Third Prize: Mr Arnold Grech, Malta. Awarded with a bronze-plated medal and an honorary certificate, plus US$500.

Special Prize: The National Agency for Beekeepers, Sierra Leone. Awarded with a bronze-plated medal and an honorary certificate, plus US$500.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CONTEST

The Contest was organised to promote beeswax as an international commodity. To meet the demands of modern industries, beeswax retaining a very high quality must be harvested by beekeepers. The Contest was intended to stimulate this high quality harvest.

HOW THE BEESWAX WAS JUDGED

The following evaluations were carried out on all samples entered for the Contest:

General analysis

Acid value, saponification value, iodine value, melting point, impurities

a) Methods: based on the Japanese Standard Analytical Method for Oil and Fat

b) Standards: JSCI (the Japanese Standard for Cosmetics Ingredients).

Evaluation - experiment I

Decolouring by absorption

a) Methods: based on Cera Rica Noda patent on refining (patent number S40-16256)

b) Standards: judged by the value of Gardner and the appearance after the absorption.

Evaluation experiment II

Deodourising with steam

a) Methods: based on Cera Rica Noda patent on refining (patent number $40- 16256)

b) Standards: judged by sensual valuation by ten expert panellists from Cera Rica Noda.

Evaluating experiment III

i. Colour stability test

a) Methods: arranged according to the Japanese Standard Analytical Method for Oil and Fat

b) Standards: judged by the colour change after heating.

ii, AOM test

a) Methods: based on the Japanese Standard

Analytical Method for Oil and Fat

b) Standards: judged by the peroxide value change with time.

THE JUDGE COMMITTEE

President of the Judge Committee: Dr Nicola Bradbear, President of the Apimondia Standing Commission for Beekeeping for Rural Development

Members of the Judge Committee: Mr Hideo Watanabe, President of the Apimondia Standing Commission for Beekeeping Economy

Mr Zhenming Jin, Former Director, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences

Mr Taizo Noda, President, Cera Rica Noda CoLtd, Japan; President, Cera Rica Noda Biological Science & Technology (Beijing) Co Ltd

COMMENTS FROM CERA RICA NODA

The First Beeswax Global Contest, is an endeavour to create standards of quality for bee products. The samples of raw beeswax collected in this Contest showed that there exist large variations in beeswax acid value, saponification value, decolouring, deodourising, colour stability and AOM test. As these variations are directly related to utilisation in cosmetics, food and other industries, the finding of great variation could be an important outcome of the Contest. We would like to see new standard for raw beeswax for industrial use. This could be created after further study, to clarify the relationships between the variation in beeswax and species of the honeybee, nectars, climate and the harvesting methods.

Chinese beeswax has not yet reached its full market potential. In this Contest the sample evaluations showed us the excellent characteristics and great potential of Chinese beeswax. As beeswax of high quality, we hope that following this Contest, Chinese beeswax will be utilised in more modern industries.

Sierra Leone is shining in the special prize. Sierra Leone is a war-torn country where people are living under terrible conditions and it must be very difficult to prepare beeswax of perfect quality. However, in spite of the war, there are many beekeepers continuing with their work. The quality of their beeswax sample made the judges conclude that Sierra Leone certainly deserved the special prize.

Our company, Cera Rica Noda Co Ltd has corporate philosophy and business vision called the “Cera Rica Concept”. This is to contribute ourselves to the development of agriculture, and to the improvement of the earth’s environment, and local people's living, by developing new applications for Cera Rica (vegetable and animal waxes) to modern industries such as data recording materials. With this “Cera Rica Concept” several projects are underway in developing countries. The strong attachment of the beekeepers in China and Sierra Leone to beekeeping is good encouragement for our “Cera Rica Concept”. We hope that together with China’s winning of the first prize, and Sierra Leone’s winning of the special prize in the Contest we will have an active role in the development of beekeeping world-wide, and especially in developing countries.

SECOND CONTEST

Finally, aimed at promoting the development of the 21st century's beeswax industry, we announce that the Second Cera Rica Beeswax Global Contest will be held in 2001.

CERA RICA NODA CO LTD

Cera Rica Noda Co Ltd, company with high international reputation has a long history of accomplishments in dealing with natural waxes such as beeswax. Founded in 1832, the Company using its own original technologies developed over 167 years of work on natural materials, has achieved series of patents that are always ahead of their time. The Company has developed many new applications for vegetable and animal waxes for various industries including high technology fields. The Company’s name “Cera Rica” is coined from the Spanish word cera for wax, and rica for wealth or abundance. Cera Rica effectively gives expression to the superb qualities found only in plant and insect waxes. These qualities remain unparalleled by any petroleum-based synthetic wax produced to date.

Cera Rica Noda Co Ltd, Japan

Japanwax

Japanwax is extracted from "haze berries" (a species of sumac berries), ke and is widely produced in Japan. Used in soap, matches, ointments, pencils and crayons, Japanwax has an excellent compatibility with human skin due to its microcrystalline, cohesive structure, and is included in many cosmetics.

Beeswax

Beeswax has excellent water resistant and emulsifying properties, and is widely used in cosmetics, foods, medicines, adhesive tape, precision casting and moulding.

Candelilla Wax The candelilla shrub grows on the northern Mexican plateau at elevations of {000-2000 m. The shrub secretes candelilla wax to cover its surface for protection against the severe conditions found on the plateau (little rainfall and annual temperature differences as much as 60°C).

Candelilla wax has excellent lustre and hardness, and moisture-proof and electrical-insulating qualities. It is used in cosmetics, water repellents, insulating agents, adhesives and sizing agents.

Rice Wax

Produced especially in Japan, rice was is extracted from rice bran. It has no odour, bleaches easily, and impurities are easy to remove. Rice wax has many applications as coating agent for foods including chocolate, sweets, ‘chewing gum and pills. Its high melting point ‘and hardness finds use in paints and other coatings, food wrapping, shoe polish, coatings for electrical wires, and releasing agents.

Carnauba Wax

This wax is extracted from the leaves of palm trees (Palmaceae) growing in North East Brazil. Palm leaves covered with powder containing wax prevent the evaporation of water in dry regions.

Of all the Cera Rica plant waxes, Carnauba Wax has the most lustre, is most rigid and hard, and has the most microcrystalline structure. In addition to uses in medicines and cosmetics, this wax is used in polishes, on candy, paper and leather; and in various polishing agents, paints and printing ink.