Comparison of biochemical and nutritional properties of bee pollen samples according to botanical differences

Abstract

Abstract: Bee pollen is a well-balanced food and food supplement whose nutritional and bioactive properties vary according to its botanical origin. This comparative study examined some nutritional and biochemical properties of the various types of bee pollen samples collected from Anatolian region. Eleven samples were examined based on melissopalynological analyses, including five unifloral types (chestnut, rhododendron, buckwheat, ivy, and rose), and six different multifloral samples. Crude protein, edible fiber, sugar (fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose), and essential elements (Na, K. Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn) were evaluated for chemical characterization. Twenty-five phenolic components were analyzed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC–PDA). Total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, ferric reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were measured as antioxidant determinants. The results were subjected to statistical analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to determine differences between pollen samples. Chrysin, t-cinnamic acid, and pinocembrin were identified as common components in all samples, but in varying amounts. Bee pollens’ nutrients and phenolic compositions, thus, varied according to their botanical properties, although chestnut pollen exhibited the greatest antioxidant capacity. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]