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Pollen and bee bread as new health-oriented products: A review
Abstract
Background
An interest in substances of natural origin has been a subject that is increasing constantly-both those known for many years and recently discovered are of great interest to the researchers. This interest also applies to bee products because of their extensive nutritional and therapeutic properties; these products are known and used for several thousand years, but only recently, they became the subject of sparse documented scientific research. With the passing of time, it is difficult to determine what will be the wishes and requirements of the future consumers, what should be introduced to new technologies to ensure the demand for new products.
Scope and approach
Recently, there has been an increasing demand for natural products, particularly the bee products. Bee bread and pollen, due to their nutritional and medicinal properties, are used for apitherapeutic purposes. These include about 200 different substances, such as free amino acids and vitamins. Special attention should be attributed to unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic, which are found in pollen and bee bread.
Key finding and conclusion
The fashion for a healthy lifestyle leads to a situation where a number of people start taking care of their health. They search for the highest quality products, preferably with health benefits, rich in vitamins, valuable bioelements, and nutrients. Therefore, bee bread that is rich in beneficial ingredients has proved to fulfill these expectations. It constitutes a wholesome, biologically active nutrient, which can be used in the food industry.
... Bee bread is the stored form of bee pollen in the colony, which is then eaten by adults the larvae of bees. Compared to fresh pollen, it is a more reliable and nourishing meal for honeybees [60,61]. Bee bread is very easy to use because it is highly soluble in water. ...
... Bee bread is very easy to use because it is highly soluble in water. Honeybee bread has a high probiotic value and a higher yield than normal bee pollen, and is another new health-oriented product [60]. There is not any proof that bee bread was overdosed; it is ingested as a food supplement, and an adult human's recommended daily intake is 20-40 g. ...
... Bee bread diet supplementation has been shown to have positive effects on people. A diet consisting of protein-filled pollen and bee bread is benefit to kids who deficient appetite and patients recovering from surgery, in whom malnutrition by strengthening their immune systems [60]. Also, royal jelly is useful in lowering premenstrual syndrome and one of the aims of royal jelly supplementation is to enhance the quality of lifespan in postmenopausal age. ...
Background
Bee therapy (Apitherapy, Api-treatment, Bee treatment) is a type of biotherapy that uses bees and their products as medicinal or preventative measures to control progression of diseases. In many countries today, apitherapy is a section of complementary and integrative medicine. The aim of this review is to explore the different bee products and their therapeutic potentials.
Method
We searched the literature and then explored and evaluated evidence for bee products’ composition, therapeutic abilities and novel techniques used to enhance their effectiveness.
Results
Data revealed that there are continuous advances in research and clinical trials of bee therapy. A better understanding of the composition of bee products generated great interest in their use for medical treatments. Bee products either collected or synthesized promote healing through reducing inflammation, enhancing circulation, and inducing a healthy immunological response, Furthermore, researchers have developed innovative approaches such as nanoparticles, scaffold, nanofibers, and others to increase the bioavailability of bee products and overcome problems with the traditional use of these products.
Conclusion
Bee therapy is a simple, accessible, and easy-to-use pharmaceutical that is used in conventional medicine and has the potential to treat a variety of diseases. However, further studies are needed to prove its efficacy, and safety. Lack of practice regulations is still an issue.
... Phenolic acids and flavonoids, have anti-inflammatory properties; phytosterol and linolenic acid, contribute to BP anti-cancerogenic effects, and polysaccharides boost the immunological activity. The antioxidative potential of flavonoids and phenolic acids is high due to their unique chemical structure, where they are neutralizing free radicals and forming chelates with metal ions, serving as effective anti-oxidants in the body [23]. ...
... Bee bread (BB), a mixture of pollen, honey, and bee salivary gland secretions sealed into honeycomb cells with wax and honey, undergoes lactic fermentation in the bee nest environment [23,24]. BB has been used since ancient times for various nutritional and therapeutic purposes due to its antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. ...
... Several studies have shown that BP extracts are very rich in natural anti-oxidants and demonstrate a marked capacity to scavenge hydroxyl radicals, and these could reduce pancreatic oxidative stress generated by chronic accumulation of blood glucose [40,41,50]. Anti-oxidants in BP and BB are capable of neutralizing free radicals and are effective in preventing experimentally induced diabetes in animal models, as well as reducing the severity of diabetic complications [23]. The anti-oxidant activity of BP was linked to its high content of flavonoids. ...
Purpose of the Review
Diabetes and obesity are complicated multifactorial conditions that have been highlighted as a significant global burden for both health care and national budgets and their complications are considered a substantial public health concern. This review focuses on the potential anti-diabetic and anti-obesity properties of bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB), two bee products with a long history of use in traditional medicine and supplemental nutrition.
Recent Findings
Recent studies, encompassing cellular models, experimental models, and clinical trials, have shed light on the therapeutic potential of these bee products. BP and BB are rich in phytochemical constituents like flavonoids and phenolic acids, which are believed to confer their anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity properties. These bee products have shown promising results in the treatment of diabetes and obesity, underscoring their potential as natural therapeutic tools.
Summary
BP and BB possess properties that aid in decreasing blood glucose levels and body weight. BP and BB have been found to enhance insulin sensitivity, alleviate oxidative stress, regulate appetite, adjust levels of hormones linked to obesity, while bolstering anti-oxidant defense systems. BP and BB nutritional qualities and health benefits make them promising candidates for further research towards diabetes and obesity treatment strategies
... This shift in consumer preferences is reflective of an increasing awareness of the potential health implications associated with synthetic food and additives. In this regard, there is a growing interest in research focused on natural functional products, particularly bee products (such as honey, pollen, bee bread, propolis etc.), which are high in nutritional value and have positive effects on health [1,2]. Bee pollen is created when the pollen gathered by honey bees from flowers combines with their self-produced nectar secretions [3]. ...
... After being deposited into the hive, this pollen is stored within the cells of the comb. Through a blend of organic acids, honey, and digestive enzymes released by the bees, bee bread (perga) is formed through lactic acid fermentation [1,2]. Bee bread, typically formed during fermentation, exhibits differences from bee pollen in many ways, despite their similarities. ...
... These variables encompass phenolic compounds, which play a pivotal role in biological activities, exerting influence over the diversity and quantity of phytochemicals. As a result, this leads to diverse therapeutic properties [2]. ...
The objective of this study was to assess the antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of bee bread samples obtained from various regions in Türkiye The goal was to characterize and classify 15 of bee bread samples based on their geographical origins. This investigation employed chemometric techniques, specifically principal component analysis (PCA) and a hierarchical clustering algorithm (HCA), for the inaugural comprehensive analysis of all data encompassing antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in bee bread. The primary objective was to unveil potential clustering patterns among of bee bread samples based on their geographical origins. According to the results, the Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of bee bread samples ranged from 4.393 to 14.917 mg GAE/g dw, while the Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) exhibited variation within the range of 0.681 to 3.504 mg QE/g dw. p-OH benzoic and p-coumaric acids were detected in all samples. Other phenolic compounds were identified in different proportions among the bee bread samples. This study demonstrated the successful application of the PCA chemometric method to assess the antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of bee bread samples from various regions of Türkiye. The results revealed effective clustering of the bee bread samples based on their geographical origins.
Graphical Abstract
... As a supplemental food, BP added wheat flour in bakeries to produce various food items (4,14). The recommended dose of pollen consumption for an adult human should range from 20 to 40 g daily (3,11,20,24,194). Athlete players use BP as a highly nutritive food to increase their athletic ability (47). ...
... Athlete players use BP as a highly nutritive food to increase their athletic ability (47). However, dried or fresh pollen grains frequently have a hard shell that can affect significantly the digestive enzyme penetration into pellets of pollen (194). Bee bread (fermented BP) is said to be more nutritive as compared with BP because the content of some of their valuable components increases, which are highly digestible and penetrable through the gastrointestinal tract (4). ...
... Furthermore, the consumption of BP also has significant effect on the beneficial microbiota of animal gut which further helps in food digestion and assimilation and strengthens immunity (46). Thus, it is recommended to use fermented pollen which is more acceptable for nutrient absorption by the digestive tract of humans (194,195) because microbes degrade the external pollen walls during fermentation, and its internal nutrients can easily be consumed (8). ...
... As a supplemental food, BP added wheat flour in bakeries to produce various food items (4,14). The recommended dose of pollen consumption for an adult human should range from 20 to 40 g daily (3,11,20,24,194). Athlete players use BP as a highly nutritive food to increase their athletic ability (47). ...
... Athlete players use BP as a highly nutritive food to increase their athletic ability (47). However, dried or fresh pollen grains frequently have a hard shell that can affect significantly the digestive enzyme penetration into pellets of pollen (194). Bee bread (fermented BP) is said to be more nutritive as compared with BP because the content of some of their valuable components increases, which are highly digestible and penetrable through the gastrointestinal tract (4). ...
... Furthermore, the consumption of BP also has significant effect on the beneficial microbiota of animal gut which further helps in food digestion and assimilation and strengthens immunity (46). Thus, it is recommended to use fermented pollen which is more acceptable for nutrient absorption by the digestive tract of humans (194,195) because microbes degrade the external pollen walls during fermentation, and its internal nutrients can easily be consumed (8). ...
Pollen grains are the male reproductive part of the flowering plants. It is collected by forager honey bees and mixed with their salivary secretions, enzymes, and nectar, which form fermented pollen or “bee bread” which is stored in cells of wax honeycombs. Bee pollen (BP) is a valuable apitherapeutic product and is considered a nutritional healthy food appreciated by natural medicine from ancient times. Recently, BP has been considered a beneficial food supplement and a value-added product that contains approximately 250 different bioactive components. It contains numerous beneficial elements such as Mg, Ca, Mn, K, and phenolic compounds. BP possesses strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, analgesic, immunostimulant, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, and hepatoprotective properties. It is used for different purposes for the welfare of mankind. Additionally, there is a growing interest in honey bee products harvesting and utilizing for many purposes as a natural remedy and nutritive function. In this review, the impacts of BP on different organisms in different ways by highlighting its apitherapeutic efficacy are described.
... Furthermore, the antibacterial effect of honey is notable, especially in variants with higher moisture content, where activated glucose oxidase produces hydrogen peroxide, escalating oxidative stress on pathogens [2]. Additional factors contributing to non-peroxide antimicrobial activity include high acidity, osmolarity, phytochemical concentration, and antibacterial peptides [2,[13][14][15][16]18]. Overall, these properties confer significant antimicrobial potential in stingless bee honey. ...
... Bee products, renowned for their rich array of biologically active compounds, have become integral ingredients in both the food industry and alternative medicine. Bee bread has been used as a natural antioxidant in chicken diets, and as a potential food preservative, in addition to its nutritional value as a food supplement [15,16]. Moreover, propolis is utilized as a natural food preservative for its efficiency in ...
... The use of agar well diffusion is generally preferred for honey testing due to its ability to establish quick and direct contact between bacteria and honey, resembling in vivo conditions, such as wound infections [15,16,18]. The findings align with previous studies [2,15,16,18], indicating that honey exhibits stronger antibacterial effects on Gram-negative bacteria compared to Gram-positive bacteria. ...
There is a noticeable preference towards stingless bee honeys for their distinct flavors and potential health benefits in Malaysia. Multifloral honeys produced by stingless bees Geniotrigona thoracica (KG) and Heterotrigona itama (KE), and honeydew honey (KD) by H. itama, were studied for sensory, physicochemical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, compared to a multifloral honey (HB) by honey bee Apis cerana using chemometric approach. Stingless bee honeys were distinguished by intense sourness (65–74%), moderate sweetness (58–70%), floral fresh fruit and warm odor and taste. They exhibited higher color intensity (121–227 mAU), moisture content (26–28%), water activity (0.660–0.689), and electrical conductivity (220–282 µS/cm), but lower pH (3.64–3.75), total sugar (71–73%) and reducing sugar (48–53%) contents compared to HB. Despite slightly higher overall acceptability (79%) in HB, stingless bee honeys exhibited unique attributes. Stingless bee honeys, especially KG, showed higher total phenolic content (179–232 mg GAE/ kg), iron chelating (16–22%), and scavenging activities against superoxide anion (46–53%) and hydroxyl radicals (61–65%). Additionally, they demonstrated stronger antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus (8.3–8.7 mm), Enterococcus faecalis (7.3–8.2 mm), Escherichia coli (9.0–10.3 mm), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.7–8.7 mm). These bioactivities were found to be strongly correlated with physicochemical properties. Unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) revealed the uniqueness of honeys due to bee species and botanical sources. This study highlights multifaceted nature of stingless bee honeys, revealing their interconnected sensory, physicochemical, and bioactivity properties.
Graphical Abstract
... Th pollens collected by honey bees are mixed with saliva and honey and then stored in honeycomb cells, where they undergo fermentation to become bee bread. Bee bread is a crucial food for bees [3,4]. Also known as fermented bee pollen, this product is formed by the fermentation of bee pollen by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in the hive. ...
... Also known as fermented bee pollen, this product is formed by the fermentation of bee pollen by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in the hive. Bee bread contains polyphenols, food components, fatty acids, and minerals [2,[4][5][6]. Indeed, Kaškonienė et al. [7] pointed out in their study investigating the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of natural and fermented bee pollen that fermentation has a positive effect on the biological activities of bee pollen. ...
... It has a better composition than many valuable animal protein sources. It contains all the essential amino acids [4]. In our study, 19 free amino acids were identified in bee bread samples. ...
Bee bread (perga) is a natural bee product formed by the fermentation of the pollen collected by bees via lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. This study aims to determine the bioactive compounds, amino acid, sugar, and organic acid profile of bee bread samples collected from the Ardahan province of Türkiye. The highest total phenolic, total flavonoid, and DPPH values in bee bread samples were determined as 18.35 mg GAE/g, 2.82 mg QE/g, and 3.90 mg TEAC/g, respectively. Among phenolic compounds, gallic acid had the highest value at 39.97 µ/g. While all essential amino acids except tryptophan were detected in the samples, aspartic acid was the most dominant, followed by pyrroline and glutamic acid. Among sugars, fructose was seen at the highest level. Succinic acid, among organic acids, had the highest amount at 73.63 mg/g. Finally, all the data were subjected to a principal components analysis (PCA). Bee bread samples were grouped according to the analysis results of the districts they were collected from. This study provides information about the bioactive components and some chemical properties of bee bread, a natural product that has been the subject of recent research. It also contains essential data for future functional food production.
... Bee bread is a fermented mixture of pollen, nectar or honey, and bee secretions, stored by bees inside the honeycomb cells of a hive (1). It serves as a primary source of protein and essential nutrients for the hive, especially for developing larvae and young worker bees (2,3). ...
... Enhanced nutritional profile: Fermentation can increase the bioavailability of certain nutrients, including amino acids and vitamins (1,8). ...
Bee bread is a fermented mixture of pollen, nectar or honey, and bee secretions, stored by bees inside the honeycomb cells of a hive. It serves as a primary source of protein and essential nutrients for the hive, especially for developing larvae and young worker bees. Bee bread is created when worker bees collect pollen from flowers, mix it with their digestive enzymes, and pack it into the comb, where it undergoes natural fermentation. The antioxidant properties of bee bread are primarily driven by its rich polyphenol and flavonoid content, which neutralize free radicals and protect against oxidative stress. Its enzyme inhibitory activity, especially against digestive enzymes like α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase, highlights its potential role in managing conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases. The fermentation process enhances these bioactivities, making bee bread a potent functional food with promising health benefits. In this study, the antioxidant potential of bee bread and its inhibitory potential against enzymes that are pioneers in the treatment of some important diseases were reviewed based on recent studies. It was determined that the results of bee bread against different antioxidant methods differed, and its antioxidant properties were generally high. Its inhibitory property against metabolic enzymes was determined to inhibit enzymes that are especially important against diabetes, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, glaucoma, the immune system, obesity and hyperlipidemia diseases. Thus, it is seen that it can be used in the treatment of many diseases.
... Products from stingless bees constitute a source of biomolecules due to their unique composition, high nutritional value, and potential for biotechnological use [23,24]. The honey, geopropolis, and pollen from these bees have anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, among other actions [25][26][27][28]. Stingless bee pollen includes pollen grains collected by bees from diverse botanical sources, serving as a potent reservoir of antioxidants due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. ...
... Recently our research group has analyzed the metabolites composition of its pollen, and we showed the methanolic pollen extract has considerable antioxidant potential, and is composed of flavonoids, tannins, and polyphenols [34]. The compounds have gained great visibility for their proven antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer action, among other health benefits [26,34,35]. ...
This study explores the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a methanolic extract of fermented pollen from Tetragonisca angustula , a species of stingless bees. The AgNPs exhibit spherical morphology, low charge values, and suspension stability, with their unique composition attributed to elements from the pollen extract. Antioxidant assays show comparable activity between the pollen extract and AgNPs, emphasizing the retention of antioxidant effects. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrate antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria, highlighting their potential in combating bacterial resistance. The AgNPs exhibit no toxic effects on Drosophila melanogaster and even enhance the hatching rate of eggs. The study underscores the innovative use of stingless bee pollen extract in green synthesis, offering insights into the varied applications of AgNPs in biomedicine.
... Bee pollen is a product harvested by bees and transferred to the hive in the form of pollen loads. It is often regarded as "the world's best food product" with abundant polyphenolic compounds [1] . The phenolic composition of bee pollen varies with geographical and botanical backgrounds, and mainly comprises flavonoids such as apigenin, epicatechin, hesperetin, isorhamnetin, catechin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, and naringenin, and phenolic acids such as chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, gallic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, and p-coumaric acid [2] . ...
... Flavonoids are usually found as glycosides in bee pollen. [1] Flavonoid glycosides in bee pollen have been demonstrated to have excellent biological activities. Quercetin-di-glucoside possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, such as inhibition of lipoxygenase and hyaluronidase and suppression of ROS, NO, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells [36] . ...
... Bee bread is a product of apiculture, formed through anaerobic fermentation within the hive's cells. This substance comprises pollen foraged by bees, nectar or honey, and apian digestive secretions, which undergo biochemical transformation (Kieliszek et al. 2018). Bee bread is a nutrient-rich apicultural product encompassing all vital amino acids and a spectrum of vitamins, including those from the B-complex and vitamin K. ...
... It also serves as a substantial source of minerals such as potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and manganese (Mn). Bee bread is composed of a variety of fatty acids and carbohydrates, as well as a range of antioxidative molecules, including flavonoids (Čeksterytė et al. 2006;DeGrandi-Hoffman et al. 2013;Zuluaga et al. 2015;Kieliszek et al. 2018) as well as important omega-3 linolenic acid (ALA) (Čeksterytė et al. 2012). Based on Zuluaga et al. (2015) findings, bee bread exhibits a significant potential for bioavailability and utility. ...
Bee bread is exceptional product of the beehive by its composition and a unique production by honeybees. Since the legislation prohibits the use of growth stimulants in animal husbandry, there is a growing interest in improving the yield of meat and eggs, and its quality parameters after applying various natural products. The impacts of bee bread supplementation on laying performance, eggshell chemical composition, serum biochemical parameters of Japanese quails were studied. Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids from bee bread, feeding mixture and combination was determined. A total of 45 female quails were involved in the experiment. The quails were divided into three groups as follows: group with 0.2% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E1, n = 15), group with 0.6% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E2, n = 15), and the control without additives (C, n = 15). The groups were kept under the standard conditions. After 180 days the animals were slaughtered, blood samples were collected. Addition of 0.6% bee bread in group E2 significantly decreased TAG level compared to group E1, without affecting laying performance. We noticed significant increase in Cd, Pb levels in eggshell in group E1 compared to control group. On the other side, 0.6% addition of bee bread caused significant reduction in Pb, Cd levels in eggshell compared to group with 0.2% addition of bee bread. The incorporation of bee bread into feeding mixture added improved antioxidant activity along with polyphenols and flavonoids. The results indicate that the effect of bee bread was dose dependent. The effective dosage estimation of additives used in feed for Japanese quails plays important role.
... It has more vitamins K and B, but fewer proteins and lipids, and has lower pH values due to the lactic acid. 44,45 Because of its biochemical richness, this natural product might be utilized to improve immunity, regulate digestive system function, and have antibacterial, anti-aging, and anti-anemia properties. Furthermore, it promotes endocrine and neurological system activities, tissue regeneration, and the removal of numerous pollutants (Figure 1). ...
... Furthermore, it promotes endocrine and neurological system activities, tissue regeneration, and the removal of numerous pollutants (Figure 1). 45,46 ...
... Bioactive molecules introduced in pollen capsules extend the antibody action in oral vaccinations [36]. A review on corbiculae Apis mellifera bee pollen and bee bread shows the potential of these natural products for human health [37]. Moreno. ...
Stingless bees (Hymenoptera; Apidae; Meliponini), with a biodiversity of 605 species, harvest and transport corbicula pollen to the nest, like Apis mellifera, but process and store the pollen in cerumen pots instead of beeswax combs. Therefore, the meliponine pollen processed in the nest was named pot-pollen instead of bee bread. Pot-pollen has nutraceutical properties for bees and humans; it is a natural medicinal food supplement with applications in health, food science, and technology, and pharmaceutical developments are promising. Demonstrated synergism between Tetragonisca angustula pot-pollen ethanolic extracts, and antibiotics against extensively drug-resistant (XDR) bacteria revealed potential to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Reviewed pot-pollen VOC richness was compared between Australian Austroplebeia australis (27), Tetragonula carbonaria (31), and Tetragonula hogkingsi (28), as well as the Venezuelan Tetragonisca angustula (95). Bioactivity and olfactory attributes of the most abundant VOCs were revisited. Bibliometric analyses with the Scopus database were planned for two unrelated topics in the literature for potential scientific advances. The top ten most prolific authors, institutions, countries, funding sponsors, and sources engaged to disseminate original research and reviews on pot-pollen (2014–2023) and direct injection food flavor (1976–2023) were ranked. Selected metrics and plots were visualized using the Bibliometrix-R package. A scholarly approach gained scientific insight into the interaction between an ancient fermented medicinal pot-pollen and a powerful bioanalytical technique for fermented products, which should attract interest from research teams for joint projects on direct injection in pot-pollen flavor, and proposals on stingless bee nest materials. Novel anti-antimicrobial-resistant agents and synergism with conventional antibiotics can fill the gap in the emerging potential to overcome antimicrobial resistance.
... Dyhydrochalcones, primarily phloretin (m/z 273) and 3-hydroxyphloretin (m/z 289) derivatives, represent a special group of phenolic compounds that were detected in the analyzed apple pollen samples. It is well known that phloretin and its 2 ′ -glycoside (phlorizin) are among the most abundant phenolic compounds in different apple cultivars [9,10]. Table 3). ...
Pollen represents a reward for pollinators and is a key element in plant–insect interactions, especially in apples, which are entomophilous species and require cross-pollination to produce economically valuable yields. The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical content of the pollen in 11 apple cultivars (‘Red Aroma’, ‘Discovery’, ‘Summerred’, ‘Rubinstep’, ‘Elstar’, ‘Dolgo’, ‘Professor Sprenger’, ‘Asfari’, ‘Eden’, ‘Fryd’ and ‘Katja’) grown in Norway and try to establish a relationship between them and insect attractiveness. In the applied chemical analysis, 7 sugars and sugar alcohols, 4 organic acids, 65 phenolic compounds, 18 hydroxycinnamic acid amides (phenylamides), a large number of polypeptides with a molecular weight of 300 kDa to <6.5 kDa, lipids, carotenoids, starch, pectin and cellulose were determined. The crab apples ‘Dolgo’ and ‘Professor Sprenger’, which are used as pollenizers in commercial orchards, had the highest level of sucrose, total polyphenol content (prevent oxidative damages in insects), antioxidant capacity, hydroxybenzoic acids and derivatives, quercetin and derivatives, dihyrochalcone, epicatechin, putrescine derivates, and proteins with molecular weight 66–95 kDa and >95 kDa, which made them interesting for insect pollenizers. Only the pollen of the crab apples contained quercetin-3-O-(2″-O-malonyl)-hexoside, which can be used as a marker for the apple species Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. Apple floral pollen is a rich source of bioactive components and can be used to prevent and/or cure diseases or can be included in diets as a “superfood”.
... It also contains phenolic compounds and has been shown to offer anticancer, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective effects (Othman et al., 2019). Bee bread demonstrates anti-ageing activity, contains antioxidants, regenerates all cells of the body (Kieliszek et al., 2018), and significantly reduces the obesity index and levels of the lipid profile (Othman et al., 2019). Salvia officinalis L. is one of the herbs that have been traditionally used to treat and improve infertility issues (Al-bediry and Al-Maamori, 2013), as it has estrogenic activity (Sabry et al., 2022) and can affect folliculogenesis and steroidogenesis processes (Alrezaki et al., 2021). ...
Bee bread, a naturally fermented bee product, could alleviate obesity-related disorders but its protective role against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced ovarian dysfunction has not been studied yet. Thirty-eight Wister albino female rats were divided into control and HFD groups. The control group (n=7) received a normal diet for 14 weeks whereas HFD group was supplemented with 40% HFD for 10 weeks and then subdivided into 4 subgroups that received either HFD or HFD and S. officinalis (300 mg/kg) or HFD and bee bread (0.5 gm/kg) or normal diet for another 4 weeks. Histopathological examination of ovarian tissues was done. The estrus cycle, final body weight, lipid profile, fasting serum glucose, and reproductive hormone levels were investigated. mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in the blood and the ovarian cytochrome P450 family 17 subfamily A member 1 (CYP17A1), cyclin D1(CCND1) and autophagy-related protein-5 (Atg5) were determined. Immunohistochemical assessment of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors gamma (PPARγ), and caspase-3 was done in all groups. Irregular estrous cycle altered folliculogenesis and reproductive hormones, dyslipidemia, and increased body weight were detected in HFD group. Also, upregulation of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6 and caspase -3 expressions, and downregulation of CCDN1, Atg5 and PPARγ were observed in HFD group. Bee bread, S. officinalis and to a lesser extent normal diet supplements bee bread improved ovarian dysfunction induced by HFD by inducing autophagy and steroidogenic genes and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. Bee bread and S. officinalis could be protective agents against ovarian dysfunction and obesity induced by HFD.
... A commonly used technique for determining the botanical origin of pollen loads is the microscopic pollen analysis since, the size, shape and surface properties of pollen grains are characteristic to particular plant species (Kieliszek et al., 2018). Pollen is usually marketed after drying, but freezing and lyophilization are also acceptable techniques for preservation (Thakur and Nanda, 2020). ...
Bee pollen, a bee product, is considered as one of the valuable products in natural medicine, for its excellent therapeutic properties. Cold maceration technique was employed to extract bee pollen and the phytochemical constituents were analysed. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of acids, proteins, carbohydrates, phenol, flavonoids, glycosides, anthraquinone, quinone, resins, saponin, tannin, and terpenoids. The advanced phytochemical screening of volatile chemical constituents analyzed using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry showed 40 volatile chemical compounds from the bee pollen extract. Among those, the hypocholesterolemic effect-related compound of bee pollen was analyzed by in silico docking method, where Oxidosqualene: Ianosterolcyclase (OSC) was taken as a target enzyme which helps in cholesterol biosynthesis. Hexadecanoic acid, Pentadecanoic acid, Pyrroloindole, and Alpha amyrin selected as ligands, and Ro 48-8071 fumarate used as a standard enzyme inhibitor for molecular docking analysis, showed that all the ligands efficiently bound with the target enzyme OSC. Among the four compounds, alpha amyrin had the highest binding interaction energy with the target enzyme (-13.37 kJ mole-1). The OSC enzyme inhibition activity may be responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effect and weight-reducing property of bee pollen.
... In this study, contamination levels similar to bee pollen [40] could even reach up to 60% of the samples tested, with significant differences between the bee colonies from the same location. Due to its complex composition and biological properties, bee bread, if free from chemical hazards, can be used as a food supplement at the daily dosage of about 20-40 g for an adult for regeneration and strengthening with no risk of overdosage [45]. When compared to pollen, bee bread, due to its greater biological value, faster digestibility, and superior chemical composition, is perceived as a much more valuable secondary beekeeping product [46]. ...
Natural products of bee origin, despite their complex composition and difficulties in standardization, have been of high interest among scientists representing various disciplines from basic sciences to industrial and practical implementation. As long as their use is monitored and they do not impact human health, they can be considered valuable sources of many chemical compounds and are potentially useful in medicine, food processing, nutrition, etc. However, apart from honey, the general turnover of bee products lacks precise and detailed legal requirements ensuring their quality. The different residues in these products constitute a problem, which has been reported in numerous studies. All products derived from beekeeping are made by bees, but they are also influenced by the environment. Such a dual pathway requires detailed surveillance of hazards stemming from outside and inside the apiary. This should be ensured via harmonized requirements arising from the binding legal acts, especially in international and intercontinental trade zones.
... Moreover, it is rich in phenolic compounds that amount to 1.6% on average, mainly comprising flavonoids (1.4%) and phenolic acids (0.2%), and is an important source of both fatsoluble (0.1%) and water-soluble (0.6%) vitamins (Komosińska-Vassev et al., 2015;Margaoan et al., 2019). Pollen also contains over twenty-five different minerals, including both macroelements (K, Na, P, S, Ca and Mg) and microelements (Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn and Se) (Kieliszek et al., 2018). The high nutritional profile of pollen and its positive influence on health have led people to recognize it as "the complete food" and promote it as a functional food for human consumption (Prdun et al., 2021). ...
This study aimed to assess the effect of botanical and geographical differences on the protein, minerals, total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of bee pollen collected from five districts in West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. Pollens of Guizotia sp., Brassica sp., Trifolium sp., Eucalyptus sp., Plantago lanceolata and Vicia faba were color-sorted from multifloral pollens and subjected to chemical analysis. The results revealed the mean content of moisture 10.6% of fresh weight (FW), protein 19.4% of dry weight (DW) and ash 2.4% (DW); the most dominant minerals, K (9765.6), Ca (963.4), Mg (960.5), Fe (142.8) and P (126.5) in mg/kg DW. The average of the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity (DPPH radical) were 40.3 GAE mg/g FW and 13.7 AAE mg/g FW (gallic and ascorbic acid equivalent, respectively). V. faba pollen had the highest protein, ash, P and Cu content. Four pollen taxa had the highest Ca values, while multifloral pollens contained the highest Fe content. The samples from Ejere had the highest ash, Ca, Na and Cu content. The results showed a high content of the tested chemicals and a strong antioxidant capacity of bee pollen, varying with botanical and geographical origins. These findings would also serve as inputs for further assessment of the nutritional values of pollen for honey bee colonies and potential human consumption. However, comprehensive chemical investigations of larger number of samples representing diversified flora and locations are crucial to developing a broad regional information base on the nutritional profile of bee pollen.
... In order to further investigate the contribution of BB microbiome to antibacterial activity, autochthonous microbial strains, isolated from BB samples, were implemented as a start culture in fermentation of double pasteurized BCP. It has been reported by several authors that BCP fermentation ameliorates BCP biological properties in terms of nutrient composition, bioactive components such as polyphenols and even flavor [7,8]. Potential health benefits include increased bioavailability of nutrients, prebiotic and probiotic potential and the possible degradation of allergenic compounds [29,52]. ...
Bee-collected pollen (BCP) and bee bread (BB) are honey bee products known for their beneficial biological properties. The main goal of this study was to investigate BB microbiota and its contribution to bioactivity exerted by BB. The microbiota of BB samples collected at different maturation stages was investigated via culture-independent (Next Generation Sequencing, NGS) and culture-dependent methods. Microbial communities dynamically fluctuate during BB maturation, ending in a stable microbial community structure in mature BB. Bee bread bacterial isolates were tested for phenotypes and genes implicated in the production and secretion of enzymes as well as antibacterial activity. Out of 309 bacterial isolates, 41 secreted hemicellulases, 13 cellulases, 39 amylases, 132 proteinases, 85 Coomassie brilliant blue G or R dye-degrading enzymes and 72 Malachite Green dye-degrading enzymes. Furthermore, out of 309 bacterial isolates, 42 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, 34 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 47 against Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium and 43 against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Artificially fermented samples exerted higher antibacterial activity compared to fresh BCP, strongly indicating that BB microbiota contribute to BB antibacterial activity. Our findings suggest that BB microbiota is an underexplored source of novel antimicrobial agents and enzymes that could lead to new applications in medicine and the food industry.
... It is important to note that the approximate chemical composition of bee products can vary depending on several factors, such as the plant species, climatic conditions, soil, work of beekeepers, drying methods, and storage conditions. As reported in previous reports, the components of bee bread comprise carbohydrates (15-45%), proteins and amino acids (8.0-28%), lipids and fatty acids (7.0-15%), vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and phenolic acids Kieliszek et al., 2018). Propolis contains resins (40-50%), waxes (20-30%), and other constituents, including proteins (7.0-12%), fatty acids (5.0-13%), vitamins, and micronutrients (El-Guendouz et al., 2016;Laaroussi et al., 2021). ...
... Several reviews on pollen and spores have been published to date, most of which focus on plant biological areas such as cellular (28), molecular (29,30), genetic (31), and biochemical (32) understanding of biological development or pollen tube guidance in plant biology (14,33,34); the effect of pollen and spore transfer and distribution on ecology (35,36) and allergy (37); the use of fossil pollen and spores in paleobotany and palynology (38); and the physicochemical composition and functionality of bee pollen in health (39) and therapeutic (6)(7)(8) products. Additional reviews summarize research progress on pollen and spore materials with either one single structural layer [i.e., exine (16)] or one single application [i.e., drug delivery (40)]. ...
With its multifaceted nature, plant pollen serves not only as a key element in the reproductive cycle of seed plants but also as an influential contributor to environmental, human health, safety, and climate-related concerns. Pollen functions as a carrier of nutrients and organisms and holds a pivotal role in sustaining pollinator populations. Moreover, it is vital in ensuring the safety and quality of our food supply while presenting potential therapeutic applications. Pollen, often referred to as the diamond of the organic world due to its distinctive physical structures and properties, has been underappreciated from a material science and engineering standpoint. We propose adopting a more interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach to its study. Recent groundbreaking research has focused on the development of pollen-based building blocks that transform practically indestructible plant pollen into microgel, paper, and sponge, thereby unveiling numerous potential applications. In this review, we highlight the transformative potential of plant pollen as it is converted into a variety of building blocks, thereby unlocking myriad prospective applications through eco-friendly processing.
... Independientemente de las connotaciones toxicológicas para las propias abejas que supone la presencia de glifosato y AMPA en las matrices apícolas, desde un enfoque bromatológico, el mayor riesgo recae seguramente sobre las mieles, ya que constituyen el producto apícola de consumo humano mayoritario en cuanto a volumen (1,72 millones de toneladas de producción anual mundial (Popescu et al., 2021)). Por su parte, el polen es consumido en cantidades mucho menores aunque igualmente significativas (1500 toneladas por año en todo el mundo (Kieliszek, et al., 2018)), generalmente por sus propiedades terapéuticas además de las nutricionales. ...
Glyphosate is currently the most widely used herbicideproduct, although its use is mainly agricultural, aproportion of it can enter the interior of Apis mellifera hives, implying a toxicological risk in the supply of food for human consumption (honey and pollen), in addition to its possible negative effects on bees and the ecosystem. It is then especially relevant to know the levels of glyphosate in bee products (for human consumption). In this sense, the results cited in the surveyed scientific literature indicate the presence of glyphosate in both honey and pollen. It should be noted that the herbicide is mainly found as glyphosate (N-phosphonomethyl glycine) and also as AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid), the main metabolite of glyphosate degradation. These results are discussed from an epistemologicalperspective, especially regarding thepossibility of reaching consensus on the effects of glyphosate on human health and its carcinogenic potential within a scientific community allegedly permeated by political power and a society that debates regarding it. of the credibility of scientific postulates, even when these are firmly anchored in verified facts.
... A commonly used technique for determining the botanical origin of pollen loads is the microscopic pollen analysis since, the size, shape and surface properties of pollen grains are characteristic to particular plant species (Kieliszek et al., 2018). Pollen is usually marketed after drying, but freezing and lyophilization are also acceptable techniques for preservation (Thakur and Nanda, 2020). ...
Bee pollen, a bee product, is considered as one of the valuable products in natural medicine, for its excellent therapeutic properties. Cold maceration technique was employed to extract bee pollen and the phytochemical constituents were analysed. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed the presence of acids, proteins, carbohydrates, phenol, flavonoids, glycosides, anthraquinone, quinone, resins, saponin, tannin, and terpenoids. The advanced phytochemical screening of volatile chemical constituents analyzed using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) showed 40 volatile chemical compounds from the bee pollen extract. Among those, the hypocholesterolemic effect-related compound of bee pollen was analyzed by in silico docking method, where Oxidosqualene:Ianosterolcyclase (OSC) was taken as a target enzyme which helps in cholesterol biosynthesis. Hexadecanoic acid, Pentadecanoic acid, Pyrroloindole, and Alpha amyrin selected as ligands, and Ro 48-8071 fumarate used as a standard enzyme inhibitor for molecular docking analysis, showed that all the ligands efficiently bound with the target enzyme OSC. Among the four compounds, alpha amyrin had the highest binding interaction energy with the target enzyme (-13.37 kJ mole-1). The OSC enzyme inhibition activity may be responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effect and weight-reducing property of bee pollen.
... From all the statements and oldest records from ancient times, beliefs at present consider that a healthy lifestyle will lead to better health [4]. Therefore, it is believed that from other regions compared to those selected in the present study). ...
Bee bread has received attention due to its high nutritional value, especially its phenolic composition, which enhances life quality. The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical and antimicrobial properties of bee bread (BB) samples from Romania. Initially, the bee bread alcoholic extracts (BBEs) were obtained from BB collected and prepared by Apis mellifera carpatica bees. The chemical composition of the BBE was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the total phenols and flavonoid contents were determined. Also, a UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis of phenolic compounds (PCs) and antioxidant activity were evaluated. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of BBEs was evaluated by qualitative and quantitative assessments. The BBs studied in this paper are provided from 31 families of plant species, with the total phenols content and total flavonoid content varying between 7.10 and 18.30 mg gallic acid equivalents/g BB and between 0.45 and 1.86 mg quercetin equivalents/g BB, respectively. Chromatographic analysis revealed these samples had a significant content of phenolic compounds, with flavonoids in much higher quantities than phenolic acids. All the BBEs presented antimicrobial activity against all clinical and standard pathogenic strains tested. Salmonella typhi, Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, and Candida kefyr strains were the most sensitive, while BBEs’ antifungal activity on C. krusei and C. kefyr was not investigated in any prior research. In addition, this study reports the BBEs’ inhibitory activity on microbial (bacterial and fungi) adhesion capacity to the inert substratum for the first time.
... El polen apícola se puede recolectar colocando una trampa en la entrada de las colmenas, la cual permite desprender el polen de las patas traseras de las abejas que regresan a la colmena. El polen apícola debe consumirse fresco o secarse cuidadosamente para que conserve sus propiedades nutricionales (Kieliszek et al. 2018). La composición del polen apícola varía dependiendo de factores como la estacionalidad, la ubicación geográfica, la humedad, entre otros. ...
El origen botánico del polen apícola es clave en sus propiedades nutricionales, sin embargo, su determinación por análisis microscópico demanda experiencia y tiempo. Otro método rápido de identificación es el uso códigos de barras de ADN, los cuales permiten la determinación de la especie de una muestra biológica a través de secuencias estandarizadas de ADN. Sin embargo, esta técnica requiere ADN lo suficientemente puro para realizar la amplificación y secuenciación de ADN. En este trabajo, se comparó el efecto de diferentes variaciones de tres pasos (tiempo de incubación, numero de lavados y el solvente para precipitación de proteínas) en un método de extracción basado en CTAB para extraer ADN genómico de polen apícola. El análisis de varianza reveló que el tiempo de incubación no afectó el rendimiento de ADN, mientras el número de lavados tiene un efecto critico negativo en el rendimiento de ADN. Adicionalmente, el solvente de precipitación de proteínas también tuvo un efecto significativo en el rendimiento de ADN, el cual alcanzó valores más altos usando cloroformo:alcohol isoamilico (24:1). Para saber si las variaciones en los pasos de extracción afectan los análisis moleculares subsecuentes, se realizó una PCR de verificación con todas las muestras extraídas, obteniendo amplificaciones exitosas del fragmento ITS2 en todos tratamientos y la identificación precisa de 11 especies de plantas. Este estudio provee información importante para la extracción de ADN de alta calidad, y provee bases sólidas para realizar códigos de barras, detección de especies invasivas, transgénicas o tóxicas en muestras de polen apícola.
... It is important not to ignore the current findings when assessing risks to human health. In the last two decades, raw, unprocessed food has become increasingly popular, especially organic food with proven health benefits, and this trend involves apiculture products as well (Kieliszek et al. 2018;Puvača 2018). In addition, the scientific reviews on the benefits of apiculture products on human and animal health further strengthen the inclination toward these products (Mărgăoan et al. 2019). ...
Honeybees and humans are endangered by pesticides in daily agricultural production. The aim of this research was to investigate pesticide residues in different honey types and to assess the risk to public health. A total of 88 honey samples originating from pine, multifloral, sunflower, acacia, linden, and canola were collected and analysed by a QuEChERS method. The hazard quotient (HQ) was used to evaluate the risk of detected pesticide residues. Analysis of pine honey did not detect any residue of investigated pesticides. The most frequently detected pesticides in the honey samples were chlorpyrifos ranging between 15.1 µg/kg (linden honey) to 22.3 µg/kg (multifloral honey), clothianidin ranging between 12.0 µg/kg (acacia honey) to 22.0 µg/kg (canola honey), dimethoate ranging between 8.9 µg/kg (multifloral honey) to 18.9 µg/kg (canola honey), and thiamethoxam ranging between 4.2 µg/kg (linden honey) to 15.6 µg/kg (canola honey), respectively. The lowest estimated daily intake (EDI) of 128 × 10-3 μg/kg of body weight per day was found in acacia honey, and the highest EDI of 265 × 10-3 μg/kg of body weight per day was found in canola honey. Similar values of EDI were determined for multifloral, sunflower, and linden honey (186 × 10-3 , 187 × 10-3 , and 183 × 10-3), respectively. The HQ value for pine honey was 0 indicating that this honey is the safest for consumption, however, the other types of honey investigated in this study posed no risk to humans after potential consumption.
... In a sterile environment, stingless bee samples were surfacedsterilized following the method of (Pakwan et al., 2018), with some modifications. The samples were immersed in 7% (v/v) sodium hypochlorite for 1 min and 70% (v/v) ethanol for 3 min, then rinsed three times in sterile distilled water and dried on sterile paper towels. ...
Stingless bees, a social corbiculate bee member, play a crucial role in providing pollination services. Despite their importance, the structure of their microbiome, particularly the fungal communities, remains poorly understood. This study presents an initial characterization of the fungal community associated with two Thai commercial stingless bee species, Lepidotrigona terminata (Smith) and Tetragonula pagdeni (Schwarz) from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Utilizing ITS amplicon sequencing, we identified distinct fungal microbiomes in these two species. Notably, fungi from the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mucoromycota, Mortierellomycota, and Rozellomycota were present. The most dominant genera, which varied significantly between species, included Candida and Starmerella. Additionally, several key enzymes associated with energy metabolism, structural strength, and host defense reactions, such as adenosine triphosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, chitinase, and peptidylprolyl isomerase, were predicted. Our findings not only augment the limited knowledge of the fungal microbiome in Thai commercial stingless bees but also provide insights for their sustainable management through understanding their microbiome.
... A. flavus is one of the causes of the aspergillosis "stonebrood" (Foley et al., 2014;Seyedmousavi et al., 2015), but some strains may contribute to the suitability of the honey bee's processed food, notably, bee bread, via production of vitamins, enzymes, antimicrobial substances, lipids, and/or organic acids (Kieliszek et al., 2018). Such an association shares features with intimate associations between other hymenopterans and fungi, in which cultivated fungal mycelia grow on nutrient sources provided by the insect; examples include leafcutter ants (cf. ...
Aspergillus fungi are ubiquitous inhabitants of colonies of the western honey bee ( Apis mellifera ), where they interact with bees in associations ranging from parasitism to possible mutualism. Aspergillus Flavi fungi are frequently found in bee bread (pollen processed for longterm storage) and are thought to contribute to food preparation, processing, preservation, and digestion. Conditions in the hive are challenging for fungi due, in part, to xeric and acidic properties of bee bread and the omnipresence of propolis, an antimicrobial product manufactured by bees from plant resins. We used quantitative and qualitative assays to determine whether A. flavus isolated from bee bread demonstrates tolerance for hive environmental conditions in terms of temperature, pH, osmotic pressure, and propolis exposure. Comparisons made use of three strains of A. flavus : a fungal biocontrol product not known from beehives (AF36), a strain isolated from bee bread (AFBB) in hives from central Illinois, and a pathogenic strain from a honey bee colony displaying symptoms of stonebrood (AFPA). Strain AFBB displayed higher tolerance of acidic conditions, low matric potential (simulating xeric substrate), and propolis exposure than did other strains. A genomic comparison between this new strain and the reference NRRL‐3357 showed that AFBB, like AF36, might be blocked from carrying out aflatoxin biosynthesis. Sequence comparisons also revealed several missense variants in genes that encode proteins regulating osmotolerance and osmotic pressure in Aspergillus spp., including SakA, SskB, GfdA, and TcsB/Sln1. Collectively, results of our laboratory assays and genetic analyses are consistent with the suggestion that the strain isolated from bee bread is adapted to the bee bread environment and may have persisted due to a coevolutionary relationship between Aspergillus and A. mellifera . This finding bolsters recent concerns about the effects of fungicide use near bee colonies and broadens the ecological importance of highly adaptable fungal strains.
... El polen apícola se puede recolectar colocando una trampa en la entrada de las colmenas, la cual permite desprender el polen de las patas traseras de las abejas que regresan a la colmena. El polen apícola debe consumirse fresco o secarse cuidadosamente para que conserve sus propiedades nutricionales (Kieliszek et al. 2018). La composición del polen apícola varía dependiendo de factores como la estacionalidad, la ubicación geográfica, la humedad, entre otros. ...
The botanical origin of bee pollen plays a key role in its nutritional properties, while its determination by microscopic analysis demands experience and time. Another alternative method of identification is the use of DNA barcoding, which allows the determination of the species of a biological sample through standardized DNA. However, this technique requires quality DNA to perform amplification and sequencing. In this work, we compared the effect of different variations of the three steps (incubation time, number of washes, and protein precipitation solvent) in the CTAB-based method on the extraction of genomic DNA from bee pollen. The analysis of variance revealed that the incubation time did not affect the DNA yield, while the number of washes had a critical impact on DNA yield, which had a negative effect. In addition, protein precipitation solvent also had a significant effect on DNA yield, which achieved better yields with chloroform-isoamyl alcohol (24:1). To investigate whether the variations in the steps of DNA extraction could affect the subsequent molecular analysis, we performed PCR verification on all processed DNA and compared the results. Our results showed that amplification of the ITS2 fragment was successful with all treatments of genomic DNA samples, and accurately identified 11 plant species. This study provides important information on the optimization of a high-quality DNA extraction method, and provides a solid basis for subsequent barcoding research, detection of invasive species, transgenic or toxic plants.
... Among the propolis samples we evaluated, those with favorable findings have the potential to function as natural antimicrobial agents, especially in the fish farming industry. Given the limited data on the antibacterial action of propolis in aquaculture, the significance of these results is increased.The small number of studies (Eswaran and Bhargava, 2014;Kieliszek et al., 2018) examining the antimicrobial activity of bee bread samples on selected microorganism species in the literature supports our inability to find activity in bee bread and shows that the study provides new data entry to the literature. ...
Honey and other bee products have been extensively researched in recent years due to the demand for natural products with nutritional and therapeutic qualities, as they contain high levels of biologically active compounds and valuable nutrients. In this study, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities of bee bread and propolis samples formed after colony development by bees of different races and ecotypes accepted to core colonies in the same location were evaluated. Total phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant content values were the the highest in propolis samples, especially in propolis from Apis mellifera anatoliaca. Values of this type gave the most effective results in almost all of the other tests performed, such as DPPH free radical scavenging, lipid peroxidation inhibition, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. In addition, the amount of phenolics detected in the phenolic component analysis of this species is higher. It was surprising that propolis samples obtained from Efe and Muğla ecotypes showed higher values, respectively, in the test for chelating activity with Fe. The fact that the values calculated for the bee breads were lower in all cases compared to the propolis samples, the highest values were calculated for the bee bread harvested from the efe ecotype, in contrast to the propolis ecotypes. None of the tested bee breads showed antimicrobial activity on selected pathogenic bacteria. Thus, with this study, it was evaluated how the differences arising from both race and ecotype and the type of bee product reflected on biological activities.
... Honey bee pollen (HBP) is a mixture of hundreds of pollen grains, collected by honey bees, and moistened with a small amount of nectar and oral secretion. Fresh or dried HBP is recognized as an effective food additive and dietary supplement (Kostić et al., 2020), offering a wide range of health-promoting nutrients due to its valuable chemical composition, which includes carbohydrates (24%-60%), essential amino acids (10.4%), lipids (1%-20%), polyphenols (3%-5%), proteins (2.5%-61%), minerals (2%-6%), and vitamins (0.02%-0.7%) (Campos et al., 2008;Frias et al., 2016;Hsu et al., 2021;Kieliszek et al., 2018;Komosinska-Vassev et al., 2015). ...
Honey bee pollen (HBP) is a hive product produced by worker bees from floral pollen grains agglutination. It is characterized by its excellent nutritional and bioactive composition, making it a superior source of human nutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the monofloral bee pollen samples, including Cistus, Crataegus monogyna, Cyanus, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Papaver somniferum, Quercus, Salix, Sinapis, and Silybum from Türkiye according to palynological analysis, antioxidant activity, phenolic profiles, and color. The phenolic profiles were detected using ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Bee pollens were categorized into monofloral, bifloral, and multifloral, underscoring the significance of confirming the botanical source of them depending on palynological analyses. Total phenolic content (TPC) of bee pollens ranged from 4.5 to 14.4 mg gallic acid/g HBP. The samples exhibited antioxidant activity for 2,2′‐azinobis‐(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS •⁺) ranging from 94.9 to 233.5 µmol trolox/g HBP, whereas lower values were seen for 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) ranging from 25.86 to 70.81 µmol trolox/g HBP. A yellowish‐red tint color was also displayed for whole samples, whereas only E. angustifolia bee pollen indicated a darker color (L* = 31.6). Among the phenolic compounds, luteolin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, rutin, and genistein were the most abundant, and their profiles varied across the samples. It was also observed that TPC, antioxidant activities, and polyphenol composition were higher in samples containing pollen grains of P. somniferum, Quercus, Plantago, and E. angustifolia species.
Practical Application
The increasing number of new findings on honey bee pollen is crucial to food science and technology. In this sense, this study offers a robust method for verifying the authenticity and quality of 11 monofloral bee pollens, which is crucial for the food industry. It also identifies potential sources of high‐quality pollen, benefiting producers, and consumers seeking superior bee pollen products.
Bee pollen (BP) is a beehive product known for its therapeutic properties. In this study, we aimed to evaluate 38 BP samples harvested from January 2022 to September 2022 at apiaries located in 6 provinces of Iran. The botanical origin of BP samples was determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The total phenolic content (TPC) of BP samples was evaluated using the Folin_Ciocalteu method. The total aerobic mesophiles were observed using Plate Count Agar (PCA). Based on the predominant grains, most samples were classified as monofloral, identifying 23 plant families. The results indicated a direct relationship between the increased abundance of plant families Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Rosaceae, and Caryophyllaceae and the increased amount of TPC in BP samples, with the most significant positive influence of the Brassicaceae plant family. The mean value of TPC of methanol extracts of BP samples was 18.48 ± 1.97 mg of gallic acid equivalents per g (GAE/g). The mean value of the total aerobic mesophiles was 23,668.12 colony-forming units per g (CFU/g). The results were based on hygiene standards for human consumption. The current study is considered the first step toward standardizing Iranian BP.
This study aims to investigate the
bacterial community structure in bee bread samples collected from 10 provinces of Türkiye using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and metagenomic analysis. Bacterial genomic DNA was extracted and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq. Bioinformatic analysis involved quality assessment, OTU classification, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), and diversity index calculations. Heatmap and PCoA were utilized to explore the impact of locality and ecological zones on microbial diversity. Metagenomic analysis of 12 bee bread samples revealed 276,583 high-quality sequencing reads. The dominant bacterial phyla identified were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Firmicutes. At the genus level, Streptomyces, Streptococcus, Bacillus, and Synechococcus were the most abundant, with Streptomyces and Bacillus playing key roles in the fermentation process of bee bread. The Shannon diversity index (ranging from 2.92 to 4.26) and Simpson's index (0.83 to 0.95) indicated high species diversity and relative abundance in bee bread. The study underscores the need for locality-specific approaches in beekeeping management and highlights the potential significance of beneficial bacterial taxa, particularly those involved in fermentation, in contributing to the nutritional and health properties of bee bread. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the microbial dynamics that support bee colony health.
Sustaining the continuity of cells and their homeostasis throughout the lifespan is compulsory for the survival of an organism. Cellular senescence is one of mechanisms involved in cell homeostasis and survival, and plays both important and detrimental roles in the maintenance of malfunctioned and normal cells. However, when exposed to various insults (genetic, metabolic and environmental), the cells undergo oxidative stress which may induce premature senescence, or so-called stress-induced premature senescence. Many age-related diseases are associated with premature senescence. Hence, there is growing interest in the intake of natural sources such as dietary food, which has protective functions on human health and diseases as well as on premature senescence. There are many natural food sources which have beneficial effects on delaying cell senescence, of which bee products are one of them. Bee products (honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen, bee bread, venom and wax) are rich in polyphenols, a compound that exerts powerful antioxidant actions against oxidative stress and is able to delay premature senescence that is linked to ageing. This review describes the factors triggering senescence, the biomarkers involved and the prevention of senescence by the polyphenols present in bee products. Thus, it is hoped that this will provide new insights into the clinical management of age-related diseases.
Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental and industrial pollutant that causes toxicity in various organs in humans and animals. Bee bread (perga) is a natural flavonoid with a wide range of pharmacological properties. This study was conducted to examine the effects of perga on Cd-induced nephrotoxicity. Thirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, as the Control group, Cd group (5 mg/kg/day, orally), Perga group (0.5 g/kg/day, orally), and Cd + Perga group. At the end of the 28-day experiment, kidney tissue samples were taken and histopathological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analyses were performed. Histopathologically, severe tubular and glomerular damage occurred as a result of Cd exposure in the Cd group. Immunohistochemically, there was an increase in caspas-3 and Bax expression in the renal tissue in the Cd group. According to the biochemical results, while the catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzyme levels decreased in the Cd group, and the malondialdehyde levels increased. However, most of the above-mentioned Cd-induced changes were attenuated by treatment with perga in the Perga + Cd group. In conclusion, perga supplementation may alleviate Cd-induced renal injury through inhibition of apoptosis in renal tissue.
Bee bread is one of the basic nutrients that bees use as a protein source and is formed as a result of the fermentation of bee pollen. In the last few years, this product has become increasingly recognized and consumed among bee products due to its functional properties. However, deep eutectic solvents (DES) have attracted great interest in recent years as promising green alternatives to replace traditional solvents due to their variable viscosity, low vapor pressure, application-specific adjustability, non-flammability and chemical stability. In this study, bee bread was extracted in 12 different DES with different hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA):hydrogen bond donor (HBD) combinations. The DES combination with the highest total protein content was determined to be choline chloride (ChCl)-urea. Then, ultrasonic extraction conditions were optimized for maximum bioactive extraction in extracts prepared with ChCl-urea. The optimum conditions were found as 31.3 %, 25 min, 35 °C for ultrasonic power, extraction time and temperature, respectively. The desirability value (d) of the model was 0.83. The extracts were analyzed for total phenolic content, total protein content, individual polyphenolics, individual amino acids and individual vitamins as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant activity tests. According to the results, total protein, total individual amino acids and total individual phenolics were higher in the extracts obtained with ChCl-urea compared to the extract prepared with conventional solvent (ethanol). In conclusion, all these findings showed that ChCl-urea combination can be an alternative to ethanol depending on the structural characteristics of the target compounds to be extracted from bee bread.
This study investigated the botanical origin, chemical composition, phenolic and volatile aromatic profiles, and antioxidant activities of 11 bee bread samples from different regions of Anatolia, Turkey. The bee bread samples contained high amounts of proteins (19.61 g/100 g) and lipids (6.43 g/100 g). The bee breads were determined to have a rich mineral content. The antioxidant potential of the bee breads was predicted using total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total condensed tannin (TCT) content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-pic-rylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The TPC of the bee breads ranged between 2.041 ± 0.170 and 3.224 ± 0.006 mg GAE/g, while the TFC ranged from 0.323 ± 0.004 to 1.903 ± 0.017 mg QE/g. The FRAP assay showed antioxidant activity ranging from 17.778 ± 0.207 to 49.752 ± 0.856 mmol FeSO4.7H2O/g, and the DPPH values were between 1.054 ± 0.009 and 4.366 ± 0.014 SC50 mg/mL. Using 25 standards, RP-HPLC-PDA quantified the composition of the phenolic compounds, attributed to their antioxidant activity. The highest concentrations were detected for t-cinnamic acid, rutin, and p-coumaric acid. One hundred nineteen volatile aromatic compounds were determined in the bee breads by solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spec-trometry (SPME-GC-MS). The obtained values suggest that bee breads could serve as a potential source of nutrients and bioactive compounds for value-added food supplements and functional foods. ARTICLE HISTORY
In this study, different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were used for vitamin extraction from bee pollen. The DES combination with the highest total amount of individual vitamins was choline chloride: ethylene glycol (molar ratio 1:2). The response surface method was then used to optimize the extraction conditions. The independent variables used for optimization were ultrasonic power, time, and temperature, while the dependent variables were the total individual amino acids, total individual phenolic compounds, and total individual vitamin contents. Spectrophotometric analyses and antimicrobial activity were also determined in the extracts. In addition, AGREE, ComplexGAPI and BAGI tools were used to evaluate the greenness of the method.The results obtained with DES were compared with water, ethanol, and methanol extracts, which were considered control groups. As a result of optimization, the optimum conditions were found to be 75 % for ultrasonic power, 71.5 min for sonication time, and 40 °C for ultrasonic bath temperature. The model’s composite desirability value (d) was found to be 0.81. The predicted value and the experimental values were close to each other. Furthermore, the most dominant vitamin in DES extracts was ascorbic acid, the most dominant amino acid was proline, and the most dominant phenolic compound was myricetin. The amounts of these compounds were higher than those obtained from water, ethanol, and methanol extracts. The spectrophotometric analysis results obtained higher yields with DES compared to the control groups. Antimicrobial activity analysis showed that pollen extracts prepared using choline chloride: ethylene glycol had a weak inhibitory effect for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but not yeast-like fungal strains. In conclusion, DES has been successfully used to extract vitamins and other bioactive compounds from bee pollen. The results obtained showed that DESs can be an alternative to organic solvents for the extraction of vitamins, which are among the minor components of bee pollen. Besides, the potential of the application different DESs for more efficient extraction of vitamins and components with important pharmaceutical properties from bee pollen needs to be evaluated in detail.
Bee pollen is an apicultural product collected by honeybees from flower stamens and used as a functional food worldwide. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the functions of Australian bee pollen. Australian bee pollen extracts and their main components were tested for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) inhibitory activities. These enzymes are key neurotransmitters involved in Parkinson's disease and depression. Myricetin (5), tricetin (6), and luteolin (7) exhibited high COMT inhibitory activities (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 23.3, 13.8, and 47.4 µM, respectively). In contrast, 5, 7, and annulatin (8) exhibited MAOB inhibitory activities (IC50 = 89.7, 32.8, and 153 µM, respectively). Quantitative analysis via high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that 5 was abundant in Australian bee pollen extracts. Our findings suggest that 5 contributes to the COMT and MAOB inhibitory activities of Australian bee pollen.
Bee bread is one of the least studied bee products. In this study, ten bee bread samples were characterized using palynology and HS–SPME–GC–MS (headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). In total, over one hundred different volatile components were identified, belonging to different chemical groups. Only ten common components were detected in all the samples. These volatiles were ethanol, methylene chloride, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, α-pinene, furfural, nonane, nonanal, n-hexane and isovaleric acid. Several other components were commonly shared among various bee bread samples. Over sixty detected compounds have not been previously reported in bee bread. The analysis required a mild extraction temperature of 40 °C, as higher temperatures resulted in the Maillard reaction, leading to the production of furfural. The profile of volatile compounds of the tested bee pollen samples was complex and varied. Some relationships have been shown between botanical origin and volatile organic compound profile.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of bee bread on some parameters in probiotic yoghurt production. The bee bread composition contained the elements B, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, and Zn. The analysis of sugar composition revealed the presence of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. The organic acid and phenolic substance content were assessed. The following values were obtained: oxalic acid (1.26 mg/g), malic acid (7.79 mg/g), ascorbic acid (0.91 mg/g), citric acid (2.73 mg/g), p-coumaric acid (15.3 µg/g) and kaempferol (5,562.4 µg/g). The study determined the tocopherol content, specifically alpha (7.09 µg/g), beta (0.4 µg/g), gamma (0.77 µg/g), and delta (0.31 µg/g). A total of 55 distinct components were identified while analyzing the volatile and aroma profiles. This study found that the IC50 value of bee bread was 1.414 mg/mL. Bee bread did not affect physicochemical parameters such as pH, acidity, dry matter, ash, milk fat, and water holding capacity (P>0.05) but affected protein and syneresis (P
The present study investigates the impact of solid-state fermentation on bee-collected pollen using a consortium of Lactobacillus plantarum, Apilactobacillus kunkeei, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Another aim is to compare the nutritional and bioactive properties of natural versus fermented pollen, focusing on macronutrient composition, pH, acidity, lactic acid content, and profiles of polyphenolics and flavonoids. Our results indicated significant enhancements in the contents of amino acids, suggesting improved protein content, alongside increases in polyphenolic and flavonoid contents post-fermentation. According to the heat mapping and cluster analysis, increased antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, particularly E. coli, were observed in the fermented bee-collected pollen samples, which may have been due to the accumulation of phenolic compounds (e.g., ellagic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside). Furthermore, significant positive correlations of the fermented bee-collected pollen samples with non-essential amino acids were recorded compared with the unfermented bee-collected pollen samples, which may have been due to the fermentation process and the conversion of proteins into free amino acids via proteolysis. Future research could explore the underlying mechanisms, the scalability of fermentation, its application in functional foods, and the health benefits of fermented bee-collected pollen in human diets.
This study focused on characterizing fatty acids and evaluating the antioxidant properties in oils extracted from mullein (Verbascum sp.) bee‐collected pollen, utilizing soxhlet and ultrasound‐assisted methods with acetone and hexane solvents. Soxhlet extraction demonstrated high efficiency in mullein bee pollen oil extraction. The highest levels of total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH•, and ABTS•+ activities (41.07±1.43 mg GAE/g extract; 1.86±0.01 mg QE/g extract; 16.23±0.68 mg TE/g extract; 56.88±0.43 mg TE/g extract, respectively) were observed in oil extracted using the soxhlet method with acetone solvent. Conversely, ultrasound‐assisted extraction with hexane yielded oils rich in saturated fatty acids, while acetone extraction contained higher monounsaturated fatty acids. Palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acids were predominant in the extracted oils. This study presents the first identification of mullein bee pollen oil fatty acids and their antioxidant activities. Importantly, the choice of solvent was found to significantly influence substance extraction compared to the extraction method.
Bee pollen is a valuable product of the beehive, a mixture of flower pollen from various botanical sources, collected by bees and agglutinated by nectar and enzymes from the honeybee. Bee pollen is a nutritionally balanced food containing sugars, proteins, lipids and dietary fibre, as well as minor components such as amino acids, fatty acids, phenolic compounds, minerals and vitamins. Due to its high nutritional value, bee pollen is accepted as a functional food by adding it to honey or other foods to increase their nutritional quality or it is used alone due to its natural and nutrient rich content and high levels of bioactive compounds. Carbohydrates are the main nutritional component of bee pollen. They consist mainly of sugars and dietary fibre, which make up about two-thirds of the dry weight. The sugars are derived from nectar or honey, which the bees add to the flower pollen to form pollen pellet, the most abounded sugars in bee pollen are fructose and glucose. Bee pollen is also a good source of dietary fibre, which includes non-digestible carbohydrates such as oligosaccharides, cellulose and pectin. Most of the dietary fibre in bee pollen is insoluble. The type of plant, climatic conditions and geographical origin play a fundamental role in the carbohydrate content. Carbohydrates are known for their role in energy metabolism, where simple sugars can be used directly for energy, while dietary fibre is a very important ingredient that helps regulate various biological functions and is a recognized nutritional factor in the prevention of chronic diseases. Consumption of bee pollen can contribute to the recommended daily intake of dietary fibre as well as other essential nutrients and bioactive compounds with beneficial health effects. However, due to the large species-specific differences in the composition of bee pollen, further analysis and also clinical studies are needed to confirm its nutritional and biological value.
For years, herbalists have considered bee pollen as an extremely nutritious food and even still claim that it can be a remedy for some health problems. Unique properties of bee pollen are related to its chemical composition that includes carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, represented by different groups of elements, i.e., macro-, micro-, and trace. Particularly, the presence of various physiologically important biogenic elements makes it an essential dietary supplement that may supplement deficiencies of elements in the daily human diet. On the other hand, the information on the content of selected elements causes, that the role of bee pollen goes also beyond its nutrition and supplementation effect and can be widespread for the indication of environmental pollution. Therefore, this chapter surveys the relevant literature devoted to the elemental composition of bee pollen, moreover, coming from different countries. The significance of bee pollen in human nutrition, illustrated by contributions of its intake to recommended dietary allowances (RDAs), is detailed. Additionally, the application of bee pollen for bioindication purposes (to monitor the occurrence of hazardous elements in the environment) as well as its role in the classification and/or the discrimination of samples is also highlighted.
Pollen is the only source of protein in the honey bee colonies and it is very important for the development of brood, and consequently, for the development of the colony. Pollen and honey bee bread, collected by honey bees, represent a signifi cant source of protein for human consumption. Honey bee bread is the pollen which the bees collected from fl owers and stored in honeycomb cells. Unlike pollen, which is obtained from the pollen collectors, honey bee bread, in cells of the comb, passes through the fermentation process and under the infl uence of enzymes; one of the most valuable honey bee products is formed. It is extremely important both for the honey bee colonies, and for the human usage in apitherapy. For this study, ten honey bee colonies were selected. Pollen was sampled from the pollen collectors, and honey bee bread was sampled from the combs. The quality of pollen and honey bee bread was determined by the chemical composition, using standard methods used in food analysis. Total nitrogen was determined by Kjeldahl method. Micro-and macroelements were determined by spectrophotometric method.
Purpose: To investigate the apoptosis-inducing capacity of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) extracts of bee pollen and propolis in HL-60 Myeloid Cancer Cell Lines. Methods: DMSO extracts of pollen and propolis were incubated separately with HL-60 cells, and caspase-3 activity evaluated. In order to determine the cell cycle characteristics of HL-60 cells with and without extracts of pollen and propolis, the cells were analysed using flow cytometry. Results: The DMSO extract of propolis (0.5 mg/mL) increased apoptosis from undetectable levels to 60.1 %, while maintaining cell viability. The DMSO extract of pollen (2 mg/ml) increased apoptosis from undetectable levels to 52.2 % while decreasing cell viability by 62 %. Caspase-3 activity in HL-60 cells incubated with DMSO extracts of pollen and propolis were 3.6-to 12-fold higher than in controls. Conclusion: Turkish pollen and propolis individually increase apoptosis and the activity of caspase-3 in HL-60 cells. This finding indicates that bee products may have beneficial effects in the treatment of cancer.
Significance
Bees pollinate the majority of flowering plant species, including agricultural crops. The pollen they obtain is their main protein and lipid source that fuels development and reproduction. Bee populations are declining globally, in large part because of landscape-level loss of host-plant species contributing to a nutritional shortage. To mitigate declines, we must understand how the nutritional requirements of bees influence foraging behavior. We demonstrate that bumble bees selectively collect pollen from host-plant species based on the protein:lipid ratios of pollen. Our research indicates that bees evaluate pollen quality and adjust foraging decisions to meet their nutritional needs. To be effective, conservation initiatives must include host-plant species that provide pollen that satisfies the nutritional demands of bees to support their populations.
Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that deals with the use of bee products for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. The task of apitherapy is to improve the health of people at any age. This paper reviews the literature on the bee products used in apitherapy and their impact on the human body.
Abstract Like other beehive products, such as honey, royal jelly and propolis, bee pollen has attracted great interest because of the health benefits it can provide when consumed. Bee pollen has high contents of sugars and proteins and a low content of lipids, it is also a rich source of vitamins and other bioactive compounds, which makes it an attractive micronutrient supplement. However, few studies have investigated its composition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the essential minerals and inorganic contaminants present in bee pollen produced at apiaries in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) revealed the presence of 8 essential minerals (calcium, iron, copper, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus and zinc) in the 5 analyzed samples; 6 of them were in sufficiently high amounts to meet dietary requirements. Of the 5 inorganic contaminants assessed (barium, cadmium, lithium, lead and vanadium), only cadmium was present at levels over the International Honey Commission’s standards. All bee pollen samples showed a high content of the 8 essential minerals. Contamination usually results from the use of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals in agriculture; thus, monitoring of its levels must be included in bee pollen analysis.
Background:
It is now well documented that postnatal exposure to certain chemicals has been reported to increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. Propionic acid (PA), as a metabolic product of gut microbiotaandas a commonly used food additive, has been reported to mediate the effects of autism. Results from animal studies may help to identify environmental neurotoxic agents and drugs that can ameliorate neurotoxicity and may thereby aid in the treatment of autism. The present study investigated the ameliorative effects of natural bee pollen against acute and sub-acute brain intoxication induced by (PA) in rats.
Methods:
Twenty-four young male Western Albino ratswere enrolled in the present study. They were classified into four equal groups, eachwith6 rats. The control group received only phosphate buffered saline; the oral buffered PA-treated groups (II and III) received a neurotoxic dose of 750 mg/kg body weight divided in 3 dose of 250 mg/kg body weight/day serving asthe acute group and 750 mg/kg body weight divided in 10 equal dose of 75 mg/kg body weight/day as the sub-acute group. The fourth group received 50 mg bee pollen for 30 days after PA-acute intoxication.
Results:
The obtained data showed that the PA-treated groups demonstrated multiple signs of brain toxicity, as indicated by a depletion of serotonin (5HT), dopamine and nor-adrenaline, together withan increase in IFN-γ and caspase 3. Bee pollen was effective in ameliorating the neurotoxic effect of PA. All measured parameters demonstrated minimal alteration in comparison with thecontrol animal than did those of acute and sub-acute PA-treated animals.
Conclusions:
In conclusion, bee pollen demonstrates anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects while ameliorating the impaired neurochemistry of PA-intoxicated rats.
Natural goods, including bee products, are particularly appreciated by consumers and are used for therapeutic purposes as alternative drugs. However, it is not known whether treatments with bee products are safe and how to minimize the health risks of such products. Among others, bee pollen is a natural honeybee product promoted as a valuable source of nourishing substances and energy. Health-enhancing value of bee pollen is expected due to the wide range of secondary plant metabolites (tocopherol, niacin, thiamine, biotin and folic acid, polyphenols, carotenoid pigments, phytosterols), besides enzymes and coenzymes, contained in bee pollen. The promising reports on the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cariogenic anti-bacterial, anti-fungicidal, hepatoprotective, anti-atherosclerotic, immune enhancing potential require long-term and large cohort clinical studies. The main difficulty in application of bee pollen in modern phytomedicine is related to the wide species-specific variation in its composition. Therefore, the variations may differently contribute to bee-pollen properties and biological activity and thus in therapeutic effects. In principle, we can unequivocally recommend bee pollen as a valuable dietary supplement. Although the bee-pollen components have potential bioactive and therapeutic properties, extensive research is required before bee pollen can be used in therapy.
One-day-old Hubbard broiler chicks were fed basal diet supplemented with bee-pollen at the rate of 0% (control), 0.2, 0.4 or 0.6% for a period of 6 weeks with an aim to use them in broiler nutrition as a natural growth promoting substance. Significant (p<0.01) differences in live body weight and body weight gain were found between broiler chicks fed the basal diet and those having bee-pollen in their diets during the experiment period. Broiler receiving 0.6% bee-pollen had the highest significant (p<0.01) body weight and body weight gains. Bee-pollen supplementation resulted in less feed intake and improved feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. The relative weight of carcass were significantly (p<0.01) higher in chicks fed bee-pollen diets. Chicks fed 0.6% bee-pollen diet were found to have highest relative weights of thymus, bursa and spleen and the highest values of the packed cells volume, hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells, white blood cells, hetrophils and lymphocytes. Serum total protein, albumen and globulin were significantly higher in birds fed on bee-pollen compared with the control group. The concentrations of serum uric acid, creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol, GOT and GPT in chicks fed 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% of bee-pollen were found to be lower than the control group. It was concluded that supplementation of bee-pollen to the diets of broiler chicks improved the performance, carcass traits and blood parameters.
Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antiproliferative effect of methanolic bee pollen extract (BPE) of Malaysian stingless bee [Lepidotrigona terminata (L. terminata)] and its synergistic effect with cisplatin (a chemotherapeutic drug) on MCF-7 cancer cell line.
Methods: The antioxidant activity of BPE from L. terminata was measured by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay. Antiproliferative activity at different concentrations of BPE and cisplatin was determined through using MTT assay on MCF-7 and L929 cell lines. An interaction effect (synergistic, additive and antagonistic) between BPE and cisplatin was determined by CompuSyn software based on MTT assay data.
Results: The EC50 (50% decrement of DPPH inhibition) of BPE was 0.5 mg/mL. L. terminata BPE exhibited antiproliferative activity on both cancer and normal cell lines. The IC50 (concentration of drug that was required for 50% of cell inhibition in vitro) of BPE on MCF-7 was 15 mg/mL whereas in normal cell line L929 was 26 mg/mL. The IC50 for cisplatin on MCF-7 was 20 μmol/L. The combination effect of BPE and cisplatin on MCF-7 cells showed that BPE at 15 mg/mL was able to potentiate the inhibitory effect of cisplatin at all different concentrations (2.5–20.0 mg/mL). The average of cancer cells inhibition which was potentiated by BPE was around 50%. A combination index values of less than 1 reported in the CompuSyn software further proved the synergistic effect between BPE and cisplatin, suggesting that BPE was working synergistically with cisplatin.
Conclusions: Our study therefore suggested that BPE of Malaysian stingless bee, L. terminata is a potential chemopreventive agent and can be used as a supplementary treatment for chemotherapy drugs. BPE might be able to be used to potentiate the effect of chemotherapy drugs with the possibility to reduce the required dose of the drugs. The molecular mechanisms of how the BPE exerts antiproliferative activity will be a much interesting area to look for in future studies.
Pollen is used in the human diet as a food supplement because of its high nutritional value; however, this product is prone to fungal contamination that could potentially generate toxins that are harmful to human health. This study aimed to verify the floral diversity of commercial brands of bee pollen and their mycotoxicological safety for human consumption. A total of 27 bee pollen samples were analyzed; these samples represented commercial brands, either showing an inspection seal or not, marketed in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The analyzed parameters included floral diversity through palynological analysis, water activity, fungal counts, identification and toxigenic profiles. The palynological analysis identified nine plant families, of which the Asteraceae was predominant. Analysis of hygienic quality based on fungal load showed that 92% of samples were reproved according to the commercial, sanitary, and food safety quality indicators. Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium were the most common genera. Toxigenic evaluation showed that 25% of the A. flavus strains produced aflatoxins. The high rate of contamination of products bearing an inspection seal emphasizes the need to monitor the entire procedure of bee pollen production, as well as to revise the current legislation to ensure safe commercialization of this product.
Malnutrition is a major cause of colony losses. In managed hives, bees are fed protein supplements (PS) during pollen shortages. If bees were provided with natural forage instead of PS, would they have lower pathogen levels and higher queen and colony survival? We addressed this question by either providing colonies with forage (Brassica rapa —rapini) or feeding them PS from November to February. Soluble protein concentrations in the PS were lower than the rapini pollen as were levels of most amino acids. Nurse bees digested less of the protein in PS than the pollen. Hemolymph protein titers in nurse bees and colony growth did not differ between those fed PS or foraging on rapini. However, colonies fed PS had higher levels of black queen cell virus and Nosema and greater queen losses, indicating that natural forage might improve overwintering survival. pollen nutrition / digestion / amino acids / Nosema / viruses
Bee-pollen is an apicultural product with potential for medical and nutritional applications; therefore, its microbiology quality should be monitored. In this context, the objective of this study was to diagnose the microbiological quality of 45 dehydrated bee-pollen samples collected from November 2011 to December 2013 in nine Brazilian States. All the samples were negative for sulphite-reducing Clostridium spores, Salmonella, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli, which are microorganisms of public health concern. Total aerobic mesophilic microorganism counts ranged from <10 to 1.10x10(4) CFU.g(-1) , with psychrotroph counts ranging from <10 to 1.12x10(3) CFU.g(-1) and total coliforms from <10 to 2.80x10(3) CFU.g(-1) , while the values for yeasts and moulds were between <10 to 7.67x10(3) CFU.g(-1) . According to the literature, the microbiota observed in this study were typical, however it is important to consider that these microorganisms may cause spoilage and diminish shelf life, reason by which quality control programs should be implemented. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
During ancient times, people throughout the world commonly used pollen, praising it for its goodness and medicinal properties. Some of the reasons the ancients used bee-pollen are why we use it today. To date no scientific evidence has been cited to disprove the claimed properties of bee-pollen.
The aim of the study. The objective of this study was to investigate microscopic, physical and chemical properties of bee bread collected in three regions of Latvia in order to compare the quality and to investigate the possibility of producing granules containing bee bread. Material and methods. Microscopic analysis of bee bread samples was performed. Plant herbaria, special literature and internet sources were used for identification of pollen. Thin layer chromatography was used for identification of carotenoids and flavonoids. Granules were prepared by wet granulation method. Lactose, calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, potato starch and purified water were used as excipients. Appearance, loss on drying, pH of aqueous solution and content of carotenes were estimated. Results. Microscopic analysis showed mostly native pollen identified as willow pollen. Beta-carotene identified and 2 carotenoids found by thin layer chromatography. Two zones of flavonoids found on chromatograms at day light and 6 zones at ultra violet light. The comparison of bee bread samples of 3 regions of Latvia showed insignificant differences in appearance and consistency, hydrogen ion concentration 3.93–4.23, loss on drying 7.72–11.07 %; content of carotenes calculated to bcarotene 6.77–9.35 mg%. Stability study of bee bread samples showed greater changes after storage at 40ºC temperature. All compositions of granules showed appropriate appearance and flowability. Quality of granules: loss on drying 5.48–13.5%, content of carotenes calculated to b-carotene 5.77–6.75 mg%. Conclusions. Pollen of willow can be considered as an indicator of the origin of bee bread in Latvia. Bee bread samples of three regions of Latvia have insignificant differences in physical, chemical parameters.
The effects of sublethal pesticide exposure on queen emergence and virus titers were examined. Queen rearing colonies were fed pollen with chlorpyrifos (CPF) alone (pollen-1) and with CPF and the fungicide Pristine® (pollen-2). Fewer queens emerged when larvae from open foraging (i.e., outside) colonies were reared in colonies fed pollen-1 or 2 compared with when those larvae were reared in outside colonies. Larvae grafted from and reared in colonies fed pollen-2 had lower rates of queen emergence than pollen-1 or outside colonies. Deformed wing virus (DWV) and black queen cell virus were found in nurse bees from colonies fed pollen-1 or 2 and in outside colonies. The viruses also were detected in queen larvae. However, we did not detect virus in emerged queens grafted from and reared in outside colonies. In contrast, DWV was found in all emerged queens grafted from colonies fed pollen-1 or 2 either reared in outside hives or those fed pollen-1 or 2. The results suggest that sublethal exposure of CPF alone but especially when Pristine® is added reduces queen emergence possibly due to compromised immunity in developing queens.
The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity, phenolic content and antibacterial activity of pollen extracts obtained with different concentrations of ethanol. Each extraction condition (ethanol solutions from 40 to 90%) had a different effect in the phenolic compounds content. Although, the pollen extract obtained at 60, 70 and 80% of ethanol showed relatively higher levels of phenolic compounds (>10 mg/g) and did not present statistical significant difference between the extraction conditions. The amount of total phenolics ranged from 3.6 to 8.1 and 6.6 to 10.9 mg GAE/g for Alagoas state and Parana state pollen, respectively. The higher value for antioxidant activity index was 83.30% for the pollen from Alagoas state and 81.15 % for Parana state pollen. The highest degree of antioxidant activity was found in the extraction at 60% of ethanol solution for Parana state pollen, which also showed the highest concentration of polyphenol compounds. Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited by the ethanolic extract of Alagoas state pollen in all the concentrations of solvent, except the ethanolic extract of pollen at 90%. The extract at 60% of ethanol solution (Parana sample) inhibited Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp.
Bee pollen is a valuable apitherapeutic product greatly appreciated by the natural medicine because of its potential medical and nutritional applications. It demonstrates a series of actions such as antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anticancer immunostimulating, and local analgesic. Its radical scavenging potential has also been reported. Beneficial properties of bee pollen and the validity for their therapeutic use in various pathological condition have been discussed in this study and with the currently known mechanisms, by which bee pollen modulates burn wound healing process.
Pollen ranges from 2.5% to 61% protein content. Most pollen proteins are likely to be enzymes that function during pollen tube growth and subsequent fertilization, but the vast range of protein quantity may not reflect only pollen-pistil interactions. Because numerous vertebrate and invertebrate floral visitors consume pollen for protein, protein content may influence floral host choice. Additionally, many floral visitors pollinate their host plants. If protein content influences pollinator visitation, then pollinators are hypothesized to select for increased protein content of host plants. We analyzed or gleaned from the literature crude pollen protein concentrations of 377 plant species from 93 plant families. Using this database, we compared pollen protein concentration with (1) pollination mode, (2) pollen collection by bees, and (3) distance from stigma to ovule, after accounting for phylogeny through paired phylogenetic comparisons and a nested ANOVA including taxonomic rank. We found that pollen protein concentrations were highly conserved within plant genera, families, and divisions. We found that bees did not collect pollen that was unusually rich in protein, whether they pollinated or merely robbed their host plant. Plant species with vibratile pollination systems, which require visitation by pollen-collecting bees in order to transfer pollen, tended to have very protein-rich pollen, but it was not clear whether this was due to plant enhancement of pollinator rewards or to the possession of very small pollen grains. We found that zoophilous species were not statistically richer in pollen protein than anemophilous species after accounting for phylogeny, although the three most species-rich anemophilous clades surveyed were generally poor in protein. Plant genera hosting specialist pollen-collecting bees did not have particularly protein-rich pollen. Both mass of protein per pollen grain and pollen grain volume were correlated with stigma-ovule distance. We suggest that the need for growing pollen tubes probably plays a more important role in determining pollen protein content than rewarding pollinators.
Honey bee hives are filled with stored pollen, honey, tree resins, and wax, all antimicrobial to differing degrees. Stored pollen is the nutritionally rich currency used for colony growth, and consists of 40-50% simple sugars. Many studies speculate that prior to consumption by bees, stored pollen undergoes long-term nutrient conversion, becoming more nutritious “bee bread” as microbes pre-digest the pollen. We quantified both structural and functional aspects associated with this hypothesis using behavioral assays, bacterial plate counts, microscopy, and 454 amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from both newly-collected and hive-stored pollen. We found that bees preferentially consume fresh pollen stored for less than three days. Newly-collected pollen contained few bacteria, values which decreased significantly as pollen was stored >96 hours. The estimated microbe to pollen grain surface area ratio was 1:1,000,000 indicating a negligible effect of microbial metabolism on hive-stored pollen. Consistent with these findings, hive-stored pollen grains did not appear compromised according to microscopy. Based on year round 454 amplicon sequencing, bacterial communities of newly-collected and hive-stored pollen did not differ, indicating the lack of an emergent microbial community co-evolved to digest stored pollen. In accord with previous culturing and 16S cloning, acid resistant and osmotolerant bacteria like Lactobacillus kunkeei were found in greatest abundance in stored pollen, consistent with the harsh character of this microenvironment. We conclude that stored pollen is not evolved for microbially mediated nutrient conversion, but is a preservative environment due primarily to added honey, nectar, bee secretions and properties of pollen itself.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The influence of the drying temperature (35 and 45C) on bee pollen is evaluated based on the physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics of dried bee pollen from two zones in Colombia (La Calera and Zipaquira). The methods used to establish the effect of the treatment are: determination of chemical composition, measurement of water activity, solubility index, mean particle size, vitamin C content and carotene content. The results confirm that the drying process of bee pollen at 45C has the shorter drying time (156–198 min), moisture content (7–8%) and water activity (0.3), but higher levels of carotene and vitamin C losses. The protein, fiber and ash contents are not affected by the drying temperature. The observed higher carotene content of the pollen from La Calera is probably because of the flora composition in this zone. The vitamin C content decreases as the drying temperature increases, but there are no significant differences between zones.
Bee pollen can be sold as both fresh and dried products. However, refrigeration with temperature between 5 and 10C is required for storage of the fresh bee pollen to preserve quality. The bee pollen drying allows preserving the product at room temperature, making the product marketing easier and increasing the profits of beekeepers. The drying process of bee pollen in Colombia is done by sun, solar and oven-drying methods. But hot-air drying is considered as a suitable drying method because it decreases drying time and improves the hygienic quality of the dried product. The chemical, physical and nutritional properties of dried bee pollen were studied in order to evaluate the effect of drying temperature on pollen from different origins. Thus, the results of this investigation can help the apiarists to use the best drying conditions to produce dried bee pollen.
Objective. To establish current knowledge about Colombian bee-pollen from a point of view nutritional and functional, contributing towards creating national technical standards and the identification of chemical differentiation factors for further researches. Material and methods. One hundred ninety-six samples of dried bee pollen were collected in the center region of Colombia known as Cundi-boyacense high plateau, where nearly 90% of total bee pollen production is concentrated in this country. Performed physicochemical analyses in this study were: moisture, pH, acidity, ash, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, dietary fiber, fatty acid profile and mineral elements. Results. Bee pollen from this region had 7.7±5.2 g/100 g moisture content, and a following centesimal composition based on dry matter: ashes 2.5±0.4 g; lipids 6.90±3.5 g; proteins 23.8±3.2 g and total dietary fiber 14.5±3.5 g. The most abundant fatty acids were α-linolenic, palmitic and linoleic. Carbohydrates were the main components and fructose and glucose the most concentrated sugars. The predominant minerals assessed here were potassium, calcium and magnesium. The results were also discussed in terms of the characteristics found in Colombian bee-pollen in comparison to international regulations and findings for other varieties of commercial bee-pollen from eight different countries. Conclusions. The results found in this study suggest that bee-pollen may be used as a dietary supplement and agree with bibliographical reports and international regulations. Such characterization will enable to be proposed technical standards in line with Colombian bee-pollen properties and it is expected to improve marketing and production chain conditions.
Bees mainly rely on pollen for their protein resources. As these molecules are essential for numerous aspects of bee physiology like ovary development and larval growth, their quantification and determination are crucial to evaluate diet quality. However, the term "protein" has been used to mention crude protein, total amino acids, or protein sensu stricto (i.e.; polypeptides of molecular weight >10,000 Da). In addition to this ambiguity, current methods for protein quantification suffer from bias due to nonprotein nitrogen and protein-to-protein variations. A reliable and nondestructive method to quantify the pollen polypeptides is then essential to estimate bee food source. The present paper aims (a) to detail such a protocol, (b) to evaluate its efficiency, and (c) to confront its results to those returned by traditional methods of protein estimation. Our protocol clearly overrides some bias of previous methods and is highly reliable. Results show the high variability in content of pollen polypeptides and suggest that the main part of the proteinaceous nitrogen is from oligopeptides. They also highlight that hand-collected pollen is a better matrice than pollen loads to estimate the polypeptides of pollen as bee food source. © 2013 INRA, DIB and Springer-Verlag France.
Honey is produced by honey-bees as blossom honey or nectar honey by secreting nectars of flowers, and honeydew honey by secreting the exudates of plant sucking insects. The use of honey as medicine and as nutritional food by human being has been in existence from time immemorial. The benefits of honey have been praise highly since ancient times by many religious faiths and recorded in most ancient scriptures. In fact records reveal that raw honey is the most ancient sweetener, and it is noted that it has been in use throughout the world several million years ago. Honey is a sweet, flavorful liquid food of high nutritional value and immense health benefits. The use of honey is widely embraced by all religious and cultural beliefs. Honey is a natural liquid mentioned in religious books and accepted by all generations, traditions and civilizations in both ancient and modern era.
Keywords: Honey, health benefits, nectar, religious books,ancient.
Experiment was carried out using 12 colonies of honey bees bred in hives located near an extraurban crossroad. We analyzed the Pb, Cd and Zn deposited on the bee's surfaces and the heavy metal accumulation in the foragers, dead bees, honey products and some environmental markers during nine weeks of the experiment. Results showed a large amount of Zn and Cd on the bee's surface as a consequence of atmospheric fallout, whereas Pb seems to be either water-extractable and/or likely accumulated in the body of the insect. Dead bees expelled from the hives displayed a progressive accumulation of all heavy metals during the experimental period. Royal jelly and honey contained large amounts of heavy metals. In particular, we found a linear relationship between Cd in the honey and that found in flowers of Trifolium pratense L. Results obtained suggested that honey bee products and the examined environmental markers may be considered useful parameters to assess the presence of environmental contaminants, whereas the measurements of heavy metals in the dead bees may be considered a suitable tool also to verify a possible dynamics of accumulation of pollutants.
Bee pollen belongs to bee products that are characterized by high nutritional value and biotic activity. These characteristics result from the wide variety of compounds that bee pollen contains.
Our study determined the effects of storage conditions of bee pollen extracts on polyphenol content. The study was conducted with the use of three types of bee pollen extracts, namely ethanol extracts, enzymatic hydrolysates from pollen, and ethanol extract of pepsin-digested bee pollen. Polyphenol content in the studied extracts was determined immediately after extraction and after 12-month storage. We have concluded that 12- month storage of bee pollen extracts decreases polyphenol concentration in all three types of extracts, and the changes depend on the storage conditions.
Ten samples of different colors of dried bee pollen pellets were collected in the south region of Brazil and analyzed for: moisture, ash, lipids, proteins, total carotenoids, beta-carotene, vitamin C and botanical evaluation. The botanical origin of the pollen pellets was obtained using microscopic pollen identification of color-dependent subsamples. The results obtained had an average of 7.4% moisture, 20% proteins, 6% lipids, 2.2% ash, absence of vitamin C and beta-carotene and presence of total carotenoids. The color of the pollen pellets was not determinant for taxa identification due to the fact that most of the pellets named as monofloral samples presented two or more botanical taxa. The most frequent plant families from a total of 17 taxa identified were Arecaceae, Asteraceae and Myrtaceae. In conclusion, due to the intraspecific differences in compounds from the taxa collected, the data obtained using chemical and microscopic analysis can play an important role in the quality control of dry bee pollen pellets if the samples are mostly monofloral.