Bee bread as a functional product: Chemical composition and bioactive properties

Abstract

Bee bread is a mixture of pollen pellets, honey and lactic acid bacteria, and the basis of food in the hive. In the present study, a Moroccan bee bread has been analyzed concerning the palynological analysis, nutritional value and chemical composition (free sugars, organic acids, mineral composition, fatty acid, tocopherols and polyphenols); in vitro antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity screened against pathogenic bacteria and fungi were also evaluated. The studied bee bread was a good source of protein (19.96 ± 0.08 g/100 g), total free sugars (18 ± 1 g/100 g), macroelements and microelements content, revealed high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (64.7 ± 0.4%), tocopherols (10.9 ± 0.9 mg/100 g) and natural antioxidants, such as flavonol glycoside derivatives, being isorhamnetin-O-hexosyl-O-rutinoside the major phenolic compound present. The bee bread showed antioxidant activity and effectiveness against all the bacteria and fungi tested. This work contributes to the chemical and bioactive knowledge of this unexplored natural product.

Bee Bread: Physicochemical Characterization and Phenolic Content Extraction Optimization

“…The fat content and ash content were found in a lower concentration than carbohydrates and proteins. The bee bread energy (412.07 Kcal/100 g) is higher than the value reported by Bakour et al [ 8 ] in Moroccan bee bread. The fat content of bee bread reported in the literature ranged differently, as follows: 1.90% in Moroccan bee bread [ 8 ], 5.93% to 11.55% in clover, cotton, chestnut, citrus, and sunflower bee bread from Turkey [ 17 ], and 4.51% to 4.92% in Colombian bee bread [ 7 ].…”

“…Bee bread is the main food for the beehive, and particularly for larvae and young worker bees that produce royal jelly [ 3 ]. It can be considered an important source of nutrients and bioactive compounds such as proteins, vitamins (C, B, K, P and E), and polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids) which are influenced by the source of pollen and different factors that influence the growth of the pollen plant (geographic origin, soil, climate) [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. The studies carried out on volatile profile components showed a high concentration of unsaturated aliphatic acids, amino acids, terpene and terpene derivates, carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, fructose), and nitriles [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Botanical Origin and Nutritional Values of Bee Bread of Stingless Bee (Heterotrigona itama) from Malaysia

“…Belina-Aldemita et al [4] also found high amount of potassium and sodium in pot pollen of T. biroi in Philippines. is result is also in agreement with those of Bakour et al [21] as potassium was the main mineral in Moroccan bee bread with the value of 338 mg/ 100 g, followed by phosphorus (251 mg/100 g).…”

“…e energy values of H. itama bee bread obtained were between 367.33 and 371.00 kcal/100 g. ese values were higher compared to those of bee bread samples of M. seminigra (350.57 kcal/100 g) and M. interrupta (331.33 kcal/ 100 g) from Brazil [35] and T. biroi (216 to 266 kcal/100 g) from Philippines [4] but lower than those of bee bread from Morocco (396.2 kcal/100 g) [21].…”

“…Phenolic compounds such as kaempferol and quercetin are commonly found in bee bread [2,12,13], and these compounds strongly contribute towards the bee bread's antioxidant properties [14]. Information on the bee bread's therapeutic properties is limited in the in vitro studies, whereby the antioxidant [7,[15][16][17], antibacterial [15,18,19], antitumour [12,20], and ameliorating properties [21] were investigated, resulting in promising outcomes as functional food.…”