PROPOLIS: APIVITA’S AWARDED STAR INGREDIENT

The dress code on the invitation was: ” countyside casual”. The map led me to Markopoulos . The imposing black metal door with laser bee cut-outs , opened for the first time on Monday, for Greek journalists (really honored) to reveal Apivita’s new bioclimatic factory, 14million euros worth and approved by the FDA.

A short stay in the reception area, let me know that the old olive tree which stood below the photovoltaic roof, was there before the building . A quick look at the site, gave me visual access to almost all areas of the plant: botanical garden , laboratories, production , administration, auditorium … The tour, nevertheless revealed to me much more.

Starting from the labs, I learned that each batch of propolis that arrives at the plant from Apivita’s beehives or from other beekeepers, is thoroughly checked for quality. The same goes for all raw materials used in production. Precision instruments measure each day quality parameters, that make materials acceptable or not in the following procedure. The primary form of propolis , that you see in the foto right up, gets extracted in another part of the plant by scientists. It is remarkable that this extracting method patented by Apivita, was recently awarded in the category “Innovation” at the competition “Greece Innovates ” because it managed with minimum energy consumption and zero waste, to isolate from propolis those ingredients that deliver  maximum anti-oxidant, photo -aging and protective action .

Propolis is a miracle of nature , I thought to myself, and Apivita has figured out how to make it even better for us! Nature’s antibiotic , antibacterial, antiseptic , antiviral, antifungal, healing and antioxidant, as the name suggests “pro polis ” (which in greek means before the city) is the way that bees protect the hive from  infections and intruders. There’s some bee wisdom!

The route of this star-ingredient, in which Apivita believes since 1979, continues to the production unit , where under pharmaceutical critiria products are made with all the above properties . Believe me, it is no coincidence that most Apivita products, have propolis as an ingredient.

At the end of the tour, and while I was leaving the premises, I could not help but think of Apivita as a human beehive with propolis as guardian angel and the bee as its queen.