Honeybee Pollen as a Bioindicator of Contamination: An Overview

Abstract

Honeybees and honeybee products (honey, bee wax, bee pollen and bee bread) are potential bioindicators of contaminants (pesticides, mycotoxins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, toxic elements, radionuclides etc.) in the environment. In this study, recent results on the food safety risks of bee pollen and data about the concentration of toxic substances detected in bee pollen are summarized. Based on different studies, a risk assessment was conducted for the most common pesticide active substances (chlorpyrifos, fluvalinate, carbendazim, thiacloprid), heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead) and common mycotoxins (aflatoxin-B1, ochratoxin-A, fumonisins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin).

Bee pollen as a food and feed supplement and a therapeutic remedy: recent trends in nanotechnology

“…BP is an important apicultural product, which is used as a nutritive ingredient and mixed with other products for therapeutic purposes. Alongside its beneficial properties, BP also possesses environmentally hazardous contaminants such as pesticides, toxic elements, and other health risk factors, which can be dangerous both for bee’s life and indirectly for public health ( 82 , 85 , 196 ). During the collection of pollen, environmental contaminants are also attached to the forager body and are transferred to their hives, so beehive products can be used as an environmental contaminants’ indicator ( 196–199 ).…”

“…Alongside its beneficial properties, BP also possesses environmentally hazardous contaminants such as pesticides, toxic elements, and other health risk factors, which can be dangerous both for bee’s life and indirectly for public health ( 82 , 85 , 196 ). During the collection of pollen, environmental contaminants are also attached to the forager body and are transferred to their hives, so beehive products can be used as an environmental contaminants’ indicator ( 196–199 ). A total of 189 samples of BP were examined for pesticide adulteration in China, which showed the detection of insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, fenpropathrin, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, and bifenthrin and fungicides such as triadimefon and carbendazim while acaricides such as fluvalinate and coumaphos were also found in BP samples ( 85 ).…”

“…Researchers also detected various molds in BP samples from Ukraine Serbia, and Slovakia, such as Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Fusarium, Penicillium. and Mucor ( 196 ). In the same way, along with fungi, other allergens such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids and toxic elements are also present in BP.…”