The aim was to evaluate the effect of bee pollen (BP) on performance, blood parameters, and metabolic hormones in New Zealand White (NZW) and Rex (RX) rabbits. A total of 60 six-week-old rabbits were ...allotted into a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement (two breeds and three levels of BP: 0, 250, and 350 mg/kg body weight). The effects of breed × BP supplementation level were non-significant for all growth performance and carcass traits, as well as the concentrations of metabolic hormones in the plasma. Meanwhile, some blood parameters (hemoglobin, packed cell volume, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and urea) were significantly affected (
P
< 0.05). Regardless of the effect of breed, the supplementation of BP at a dose of 350 mg/kg BW increased the final body weight (
P
= 0.008), average daily gain (
P
< 0.001), and net profits (
P
= 0.006). However, the rabbits treated with BP at a dose of 250 mg/kg BW showed lower average daily feed intake (− 14.45 g/d;
P
= 0.049) and feed to gain ratio (− 0.48;
P
= 0.039). In both rabbit breeds, BP at a dose of 350 mg/kg increased the concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (302.62 ng/ml,
P
< 0.001), insulin (16.63 ng/ml,
P
= 0.050), and triiodothyronine (158.50 ng/dl,
P
< 0.001) in plasma compared with other groups. It may be concluded that intake of BP supplementation can improve the feed to gain ratios, blood indices, and metabolic hormones in different rabbit breeds. However, the appropriate dosage and the route of supplementation of BP in broiler rabbits need further research.
The aim of this study was to determine the grain composition and (poly)phenolic profile of pollen from Abrantes (Portugal), as well as its antioxidative and antidiabetic properties, and abilities to ...protect human erythrocytes against induced hemoglobin oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and hemolysis. The phytochemical profile of the Abrantes’ bee pollen revealed twenty phenolic compounds, identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry coupled with photodiode array detection. Among them, quercetin derivatives were the most abundant. Concerning the biological potential, the pollen extract showed notable capacity for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, nitric oxide, and superoxide radicals, as well as for inhibition of α-glucosidase action, and protection of human erythrocytes against oxidative damage. Non-cytotoxic effects regarding the NHDF normal cell line, human adenocarcinoma Caco-2, and human liver HepG2 cells were observed. The results obtained contributed to further research on modes of action related to oxidative damage and metabolic health problems, to generate deeper knowledge of potential health-promoting effects to develop novel pharmaceutical drugs, nutraceuticals, and dietary supplements.
A set of experiments was carried out to validate a method for inorganic contaminants in honeybee-collected pollen, consisting of digestion of the samples in a closed microwave-assisted system and ...quantification of 10 inorganic contaminants by ICP OES. Forty-three samples of Brazilian bee pollen, collected in southeastern Brazil during one year, were analyzed. Determination of these analytes is important both as bioindicators of pollution and to verify the safety of consuming the pollen itself. The method had satisfactory performance, with good accuracy and precision. The ranges of the mean levels were 10.4−268.0 mg/kg for Al, <0.01−1.38 mg/kg for As, 2.78−17.63 mg/kg for Ba, 0.003−0.233 mg/kg for Cd, <0.01−1.11 mg/kg for Co, <0.01−2.32 mg/kg for Cr, <0.10−1.13 mg/kg for Ni, <0.01−0.44 mg/kg for Pb, <0.035−1.33 mg/kg for Sb, and <0.0004−0.0068 mg/kg for Hg. Contamination seemed to occur in the following decreasing order: São Paulo > Minas Gerais > Espírito Santo. Generally higher levels of all studied contaminants were observed in samples produced in an urban site, compared to those of a rural site. Al, Cd, Co, and Pb tended to have higher levels during the dry months (July−October). Ingestion estimates showed that Al and As would have the highest contributions to the adult diet, reaching 27 and 8%, respectively, of the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) values, considering a daily portion of 25 g.
In the experiment, the effect of the addition of bee pollen, propolis extract and probiotic in a feed mixture for chicken broilers Ross 308 on oxidative stability of breast and thigh muscles during ...chilled storage was investigated. In the experiment were included 180 pieces of one day-old chicks, which were divided into 4 groups (control, E1, E2 and E3). Chickens were fed by ad libitum system until the age of 42 days. These feed mixtures were made without antibiotics preparation and coccidiostats. Bee pollen extract in amount of 400 mg.kg-1 (E1), propolis extract in an amount of 400 mg.kg-1 (E2) was added into feed mixtures and probiotic (Lactobacillus fermentum) (E3) in an amount 3.3 g added daily to the water given the experimental group. During whole period of chilled storage were higher values of MDA determined in control group compare to experimental groups. The higher average MDA value determined in breast muscels of broiler chicken hybrid combination Ross 308 was in samples of control group (0.129 mg.kg-1) compared to experimental groups E1, E3 (0.125 mg.kg-1) and E2 (0.115 mg.kg-1) after 7-day of chilled storage. Significantly higher values of MDA were determined in control group compare to second experimental group on the end of storage. Trend of thigh muscle oxidation stability of chicken hybrid combination Ross 308 was during 7 days of chilled storage similar than in breast muscle. The higher average MDA value determined in thigh muscels was in samples of control group (0.142 mg.kg-1) compared to experimental groups E1 (0.137 mg.kg-1), E2 (0.125 mg.kg-1) and E3 (0.138 mg.kg-1) after 7-day of chilled storage. We have not determined statistically significant differences between testing groups on the end of storage. Higher amount of MDA in thigh muscle compare to breast muscle is due to by higher amount of fat occurred in thigh muscle.
Camellia bee pollen (CBP) is a major kind of bee product which is collected by honeybees from tea tree (
L.) flowers and agglutinated into pellets via oral secretion. Due to its special healthcare ...value, the authenticity of its botanical origin is of great interest. This study aimed at distinguishing CBP from other bee pollen, including rose, apricot, lotus, rape, and wuweizi bee pollen, based on a non-targeted metabolomics approach using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the bee pollen groups, 54 differential compounds were identified, including flavonol glycosides and flavone glycosides, catechins, amino acids, and organic acids. A clear separation between CBP and all other samples was observed in the score plots of the principal component analysis, indicating distinctive metabolic profiles of CBP. Notably, L-theanine (864.83-2204.26 mg/kg) and epicatechin gallate (94.08-401.82 mg/kg) were identified exclusively in all CBP and were proposed as marker compounds of CBP. Our study unravels the distinctive metabolic profiles of CBP and provides specific and quantified metabolite indicators for the assessment of authentic CBP.
This study evaluated the stability of vitamins C, E and β-carotene in six samples of bee pollen after their process, and in a one-year period of storage. After the pollen's process, there was a 67.1% ...increase for vitamin C (p <0.05), an 18.7% loss for vitamin E and 15.6% for β-carotene. Storage in freezer was the most efficient condition for the vitamins conservation; the loss in storage at room temperature (exposed or protected from light) was similar. Vitamin E appears to be better preserved during storage when compared to vitamin C and β-carotene.
The bee pollen is a complete and healthy food with important nutritional properties. Usually, bee pollen is consumed dehydrated, but it is possible to market it as fresh frozen pollen, favoring the ...maintenance of its properties and greatly increasing its palatability, compared to dried pollen. However, fresh frozen pollen maintains a high microbiological load that can include some pathogenic genus to human health. In this work, ozonation combined with drying is applied to reduce the microbiological load. The lowest timing exposure to ozone (30 min) was chosen together with hot-air drying during 15 min to evaluate the shelf-life of treated bee-pollen under cold storage (4 °C), and initial reductions of 3, 1.5, and 1.7 log cycles were obtained for Enterobacteriaceae, mesophilic aerobes, and molds and yeasts counting, respectively. Six weeks after treatment the microbial load was held at a lower level than initially observed in fresh bee-pollen. In addition, ozone treatment did not have a negative impact on the polyphenols evaluated. Likewise, the sensory profile of the bee pollen under different treatments was studied. For all these assays the results have been favorable, so we can say that ozonation of fresh pollen is safe for human consumption, which maintains its polyphenols composition and organoleptically is better valued than dried pollen.
For the mass production of the mirid predator
Macrolophus pygmaeus eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth
Ephestia kuehniella are routinely used as an effective but expensive factitious food. In the ...current study, the potential of pollen as a supplementary food for
M. pygmaeus was investigated. In a first experiment, the minimum amount of
E. kuehniella eggs needed for optimal development and reproduction was determined to be 40 eggs per individual per 3
days. Then, different amounts of
E. kuehniella eggs were offered to individual nymphs, supplemented or not with frozen moist honeybee pollen. Insects reared on only 10
E. kuehniella eggs per 3
days suffered higher mortality, developed slower and had lower adult weights and oocyte counts than insects reared on 40
E. kuehniella eggs or 10 eggs supplemented with pollen. When the nymphs were fed only pollen, survival rates and oocyte production were lower than when both pollen and flour moth eggs were provided. On pollen alone, ca. 80% of the nymphs successfully reached adulthood; their adult weights and oocyte counts were, respectively, 12% and 32% lower compared with individuals fed optimal amounts of flour moth eggs. When an egg yolk-based artificial diet was supplemented with bee pollen, development and fecundity were better than on the artificial diet alone. The practical implications of pollinivory for the mass production and the use of this beneficial insect in augmentative biological control programs are discussed.
The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria, has driven investigations into suppressing bacterial virulence via quorum sensing (QS) inhibition ...strategies instead of bactericidal and bacteriostatic approaches. Here, we investigated several bee products for potential compound(s) that exhibit significant QS inhibitory (QSI) properties at the phenotypic and molecular levels in Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 as a model organism. Manuka propolis produced the strongest violacein inhibition on C. violaceum lawn agar, while bee pollen had no detectable QSI activity and honey had bactericidal activity. Fractionated manuka propolis (pooled fraction 5 or PF5) exhibited the largest violacein inhibition zone (24.5 ± 2.5 mm) at 1 mg dry weight per disc. In C. violaceum liquid cultures, at least 450 µg/ml of manuka propolis PF5 completely inhibited violacein production. Gene expression studies of the vioABCDE operon, involved in violacein biosynthesis, showed significant (≥two-fold) down-regulation of vioA, vioD and vioE in response to manuka propolis PF5. A potential QSI compound identified in manuka propolis PF5 is a hydroxycinnamic acid-derivative, isoprenyl caffeate, with a M−H of 247. Complete violacein inhibition in C. violaceum liquid cultures was achieved with at least 50 µg/ml of commercial isoprenyl caffeate. In silico docking experiments suggest that isoprenyl caffeate may act as an inhibitor of the violacein biosynthetic pathway by acting as a competitor for the FAD-binding pockets of VioD and VioA. Further studies on these compounds are warranted toward the development of anti-pathogenic drugs as adjuvants to conventional antibiotic treatments, especially in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.
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