A mixture secreted by the hypopharyngeal gland of young worker bees (Apis mellifera) and fed as it is secreted to the queen bee and to larvae that are being raised as potential queen bees; it is not stored. Water makes up about two thirds of fresh royal jelly, with the remainder consisting mostly of proteins and sugars, followed by lipids (mostly free fatty acids containing short (8 to 10 carbon atom) chains with uncommon structures) and water-soluble vitamins.