Propolis is a hive product with an intense, aromatic aroma and a dark colour that can vary greatly. The appearance of propolis depends on the particular plant that secreted the resinous substance collected and used by bees to produce it. Propolis is used by bees to seal small cracks and gaps in the hive, to disinfect it and keep it clean. Propolis is a sticky, malleable resin that hardens and sets at a low temperature. In order to use it, it is heated to around 65-70°C and mixed with water or alcohol.
Used since ancient times, strictly speaking propolis is not a foodstuff; today, indeed, it continues to be used as an ingredient in herbal and pharmaceutical products, thanks to the properties of some of its component substances: resins, balsamic substances, essential oils and countless active molecule