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•Comprehensive nutrients profiling of bee pollen with various botanical and geographic origins were reviewed.•Active natural plant metabolites from bee pollen and their in vivo ...metabolic pathways were summarized.•The nutritional values of bee pollen and its potential bioactivities for human health were updated.•The safety of bee pollen as a food supplement was highlighted.
Bee pollen is a mixture of plant pollen pellet with nectar and honeybee secretions. Due to its active natural metabolites with extensive nutritional and therapeutic properties, it is recommended as a treasure trove of human nutrition. The nutritional components in bee pollen include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and a small percentage of other components. Previous studies demonstrated that bee pollen exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antiallergic properties. This comprehensive review focused on the nutritional properties and potentially active phytometabolites (polyphenolic acids and flavonoids) of bee pollen and its therapeutic health benefits. We also covered the food safety and guidelines for the consumption with future industrial challenges of bee pollen.
•Chemical composition of fermented bee pollen was globally analyzed.•Fermentation led to 668 differential metabolites in bee pollen.•Fermentation significantly changed the primary and secondary ...metabolites.•Fermentation transformed polyphenol glycosides to aglycones.•Fermentation increased the types and contents of phenolamides.
Microbial fermentation can break the bee pollen wall. However, the global profiling of bee pollen metabolites under fermentation remains unclear. This study aims to comprehensively elucidate the changes in the composition of bee pollen after microbial fermentation. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS) based on widely targeted metabolomics analysis was used to compare the chemical composition of unfermented bee pollen (UBP) and fermented bee pollen (FBP). Among the 890 metabolites detected, a total of 668 differential metabolites (classified into 17 categories) were identified between UBP and FBP. Fermentation significantly increased the contents of primary metabolites such as 74 amino acids and derivatives, 42 polyunsaturated fatty acids and 66 organic acids, as well as some secondary metabolites such as 38 phenolic acids, 80 flavone aglycones and 22 phenolamides. The results indicate that fermentation is a promising strategy to improve the nutritional value of bee pollen.
Heavy metals are a major source of environmental pollution, and have a significant impact on ecological quality of the environment. The human activity affects the environment so there is a high risk ...of metal accumulation. Heavy metals contaminate not only the environment but accumulate in the human body, from which it is difficult to degrade them. The long tradition of beekeeping in the world is proof that bees are irreplaceable and important pollinators of plants and crops, which are necessary to maintain the prosperity of agriculture. Beekeeping up to the present is still popular and is ecologically and economically significant. The aim of this study was to determine total mercury content in the body of bees and their products (bee pollen, honey) of selected locations in eastern Slovakia, evaluation of obtained results according to current standards and compared to the values established by the Food Codex of the Slovak Republic and The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), according to which mercury is a metal that is released into the environment from both natural sources and as a result of human activity. The mercury element can occur as inorganic mercury (mercurous (Hg22+) and mercuric (Hg2+) cations), and organic mercury. Methylmercury (MeHg) is by far the most common form of organic mercury in the food chain. The tested bees and their products were collected from apiaries located in the area of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice and the apiary in Rozhanovce. The evaluation of the impact of environmental contamination by hazardous substances is very important regards to the protection of bees and not least to protect the health of people as consumers of food products containing residues of industrial production.
Naibaho NM, Salusu HD, Rudito, Saragih B, Kusuma IW, Fatriasari W, Arung ET. 2023. Sensory evaluation and antibacterial activity of bee pollen extracts isolated from several stingless bees in two ...drying methods. Biodiversitas 24: 2682-2688. This study aims to determine six stingless bee pollen extracts' sensory characteristics and antibacterial activity. The samples were dried using a chiller method at 4°C (14-22 days) and a 40°C oven (8-10 days). The sensory qualities of color, scent, taste, texture, and the antibacterial activity of six stingless bees were assessed while the bee pollen was drying. It was revealed for the first time that six bee pollen products from East Kalimantan had characteristics that were very close to what consumers preferred. The findings demonstrated that, compared to a 40°C oven, the 4°C chiller approach offered superior sensory value and antibacterial activity. Bee pollen Tetragonula reepeni (Friese, 1918) received the highest sensory score using the 4°C chiller method, scoring 4.81 (very like) for color and 3.71 (like) for taste. Bee pollen Tetragonula fuscobalteata (Cameron, 1908) received a score of 3.47 (like) for aroma, while the highest texture value was obtained by bee pollen Heterotrigona itama (Cockerell, 1918), scoring 4.19 (like very much). Bee pollen H. itama had the greatest sensory scores when using the 40°C oven method, scoring 3.58 (like), 3.22 (like), and 3.54 (like) for color, scent, and taste, and 3.69 (like) for texture. The antibacterial activity of the bee pollen extracts T. reepeni and Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith, 1854) achieved higher inhibition zone values when using the 4°C chiller method and 40°C oven method, with values ??of 15 mm, 16.00 mm, 14.33 mm, and 13.26 mm, respectively, for the bacterium Propionibacterium acnes NN657. The lowest Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) for antibacterial activity was 125 µL/mL for Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25932, Staphylococcus epidermis NN349, Propionibacterium acnes NN357 and Escherichia coli ATCC 8742 of 250 µL/mL. Comparing the organoleptic characteristics of bee pollen, the chiller method at 4°C for 14 days retained quality attributes better than the bee pollen oven-drying method at 40°C.
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•Five allergenic proteins were identified from B. campestris bee pollen (BP-Bc).•Allergenicity of BP-Bc was significantly reduced through enzymes joint treatment.•BP-Bc allergens were ...degraded into oligopeptides and amino acids by enzymolysis.
Bee pollen as a plant-derived food is consumed as nutritional/functional supplements by humans. But it might confer foodborne allergenicity in susceptible populations, limiting its extensive application. In this study, five potential allergens including profilin, cystatin, prolamin, expansin, and alcohol dehydrogenase in bee pollen derived from Brassica campestris (BP-Bc), were identified through mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis. Moreover, different types of enzymes (cellulases, pectases, and papains) serve biological roles in pollen wall breaking and expansion, but also promote allergen release and degradation. Proteomic analysis showed that profilin, cystatin, and alcohol dehydrogenase were significantly reduced in BP-Bc following joint treatment with three enzymes. Metabolomic characterization of potential enzymatic hydrolysates of these significantly-decreased allergens was performed, which showed nine major oligopeptides and six amino acids at significantly higher levels in the enzyme-treated BP-Bc. These findings clarified the culprit responsible for bee pollen allergy and the mechanism of enzymatic desensitization for its further development.
This study aims to determine the role of bee pollen in improving the reproductive efficiency of quail males raised at high density. The total number was 288 birds at 7 weeks old, randomly distributed ...to 6 experimental groups. The 1stgroup was placed at a rate of 21 birds / m2, 2nd group was placed at a rate of 21 birds / m2 and addition of bee pollen 20 g/kg feed, the 3rd group was at a rate of 21 birds / m2 addition of bee pollen 30 g/kg feed, the 4th group was high density 75 birds / m2, 5th group was high density75 birds/ m2 and supplemented with bee pollen 20 g/kg feed, and the 6th group was high density 75 birds/m2 and supplemented with bee pollen 30 g/kg feed. The results showed that adding 20g and 30g of bee pollen to the diet of 21 birds caused a significant increase in testosterone hormone. In contrast, the high density of birds caused a significant decrease in testosterone, sperm count and live sperm accompanied by an increase in the dead and deformed sperm. Furthermore, decrease in body weight. Adding 20g and 30g of bee pollen to the high density of birds resulted in a significant increase in testosterone, sperm count, and live sperm accompanied by a reduction in dead and deformed sperm and an increase in body weight. The study concluded that the high density of the birds' numbers had a negative impact on the bird's reproductive efficiency and body weight while adding bee pollen to the diet improved quail male body weight and reproductive efficiency.
Food contamination is an important global food safety issue. This study aimed to detect aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), fumonisins (FB1, FB2), citrinin (CIT), and zearalenone (ZEA) in four bee ...product groups (honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, propolis) in Turkey. Additionally, exposure and risk assessments were made for mycotoxins detected in these products. Mycotoxin analyzes in bee products were carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) methods. The most frequently detected mycotoxins in all bee products were ZEA (37.5%) and AFB2 (36.6%). The analysis showed that the average concentrations of FB2 (2.091 μg/kg), AFB1 (0.595 μg/kg), and ZEA (0.009 μg/kg) in all bee products were above the detection limit levels, while the levels of AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, FB1, and CIT were below the limit of detection. When comparing bee products, it was found that honey samples were more exposed to AFB2 and FB1, bee pollen to FB1, propolis to AFB2, and royal jelly to ZEA contamination. AFG1 and CIT were not detected in propolis and bee pollen, respectively. All mycotoxins analyzed in the study pose no health risks when bee products are consumed daily.
•First report of AFs, FUMs, ZEA, and CIT contamination in bee products in Turkey.•The most common mycotoxins found in all bee products were ZEA and AFB2.•AFG1 and CIT were not detected in propolis and bee pollen, respectively.•AFs, FUMs, CIT and ZEA contamination in bee products does not pose any health risks.
•Chemical composition of bee pollen was analyzed by metabolomics.•40 differential metabolites were identified as phenolamides in bee pollen.•26 of phenolamides were strongly correlated with ...anti-tyrosinase activity.•Spermidine derivatives were dominant over putrescine and spermine derivatives.
Bee pollen, which is known as a “full-nutrient food”, has outstanding anti-tyrosinase activity. However, the chemical components contributing to this activity remain unknown. To comprehensively elucidate the chemical components of bee pollen inhibiting tyrosinase, we performed the anti-tyrosinase activity evaluation of bee pollen extract (BPE) of eight species, metabolomic analysis of chemical composition, multivariate statistical analysis and correlation analysis. The results revealed that the anti-tyrosinase activity of eight BPEs was significantly different (p < 0.05), with IC50 value ranging from 10.08 to 408.81 μg/mL. A total of 725 metabolites were detected from these BPEs, and 40 differential metabolites were identified, all of which were phenolamides. All these phenolamides were positively correlated with the anti-tyrosinase activity, among which 26 phenolamides (21 spermidine derivatives and five spermine derivatives) showed particularly high correlations (r > 0.7). This is the first report to reveal the main contributor to the anti-tyrosinase activity of bee pollen.
This study investigated the efficacies of honey bee pollen (HBP), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) as feed additives to counteract dimethoate (DM) toxicity in Nile ...tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.). The fish were divided into eight treatment groups: G1 (control group; basal diet + no DM exposure), G2 (2.5% HBP-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G3 (2.5% ginger-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G4 (2.5% MOL-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G5 (basal diet + DM exposure), G6 (2.5% HBP-supplemented diet + DM exposure), G7 (2.5% ginger-supplemented diet + DM exposure), and G8 (2.5% MOL-supplemented diet + DM exposure). The study was conducted over 30 days, with blood and tissue sample collection on days 15 and 30. Exposure to DM significantly decreased the serum levels of total protein and globulin, while significantly increasing the glucose, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, creatinine kinase, liver malondialdehyde, total-superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels. By contrast, dietary supplementation of DM-exposed fish with HBP, ginger, or MOL significantly increased the total protein, albumin, and globulin levels and significantly decreased the glucose and total cholesterol levels compared with DM-exposed fish that were fed the basal diet. DM exposure also significantly increased the number of chromosomal aberrations compared with the control, but this effect was ameliorated by addition of the feed additives. The liver, kidneys, and gills had normal histological structures in the control group and the supplemented groups with no DM exposure (G2–G4). DM exposure had damaging effects, with multiple areas of hemorrhage, edema, and necrosis being observed. However, the severity of this was ameliorated by the addition of HBP, ginger, or MOL to the diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with HBP, ginger, or MOL improved the antioxidant capacity of Nile tilapia to cope with the biochemical changes, chromosomal aberrations, and pathological alterations that are induced by DM exposure.
•Dimethoiate (DM) exposure altered blood biochemical variables in exposed fish.•DM exposure induced chromosome aberrations, and histopathological changes.•Fish fed Honey bee pollen, ginger or Moringa oleifera ameliorated the negative effect of DM.•Feeding HBP, ginger or Moringa oleifera improved the antioxidant capacity.
