Evaluation of Total Polyphenol, Flavonoid and Vitamin Content from the Crushed Pollens of Acorn and Actinidia

Abstract

Bee pollen is rich in various nutrients. Bee pollens of acorn (Quercus acutissima) and actinidia (Actinidia arguta) are the most collected in Korea. But stiff pollen wall hinders dissolution of polysaccharides and lowers extraction efficiency. Thus, we evaluated total polyphenol, total flavonoid and vitamin content from the pollen grains crushed by pulverization and freeze-drying method, and pollen extracts obtained by aqueous and ethanolic extraction, respectively. The total polyphenol contents were higher in acorn pollens than in actinidia pollens, in ethanol extracts than in H₂O extracts, and highest in freeze_ dried pollen followed by pulverized pollen and pollen load. The same pattern was found in total flavonoid contents. Vitamin B2 contents were very low, but B3 were high regardless of crushing. Vitamin C was only recovered from pollen loads, but negligible in pulverized or freeze-dried pollens.