Abstract
The study aims to determine certain physicochemical properties (moisture, ash, titratable acidity, pH, and color), total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC, ABTS, DPPH) and bioaccessibility of 20 bee pollen samples (10 unpackaged and 10 trademarked products in their original packages) sold in Turkey. The total phenolic content of the bee pollen samples was detected as 147.10-462.02 mg GAE/g and bioaccessibility ranged from 36.91% to 77.87%. The highest total value for antioxidant capacity was assessed as 83.24-257.27 μmol TE/g by the CUPRAC method. When the bioaccessibility of the antioxidant capacity of bee pollen was compared among the methods, the highest value (95.76%) was obtained for the sample M by the CUPRAC method. Antioxidant capacity and bioaccessibility of the unpackaged bee pollen samples were lower than those of the trademarked products. Based on overall evaluations, it can be deduced that bee pollen known for its potential beneficial effects on health may well be used as a functional food additive in the production of various food products with its high antioxidant and bioaccessibility features.
Highlights
Pollen, which is a valuable food source for bees and bee larvae, is the product of the male reproductive cells of flowering plants
The ash contents of bee pollen samples found in this study were similar to those reported by Isık et al (2019), which ranged from 2.14-2.18 g/100 g in hot air dried bee pollen samples
Bárbara et al (2015) reported similar results indicating that the mean moisture, ash, pH, titratable acidity levels of 21 bee pollen (Melipona mandacaia) samples collected from two different regions of Bahia and Brazil were 36.0%, 4.9%, 3.49, and 146 meq·kg−1, respectively
Summary
Pollen, which is a valuable food source for bees and bee larvae, is the product of the male reproductive cells of flowering plants. Cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, immune system stimulating effects as well as antiaging properties of bee pollen have been indicated It is currently used in the treatment of sniffles, the flu, anemia, allergic diseases and ulcer and enteritis. It is called “the life-giving dust” owing to its extensive therapeutic effects and recognized as one of the functional foods in the food industry (Borycka et al, 2015; Carpes et al, 2007; Karadal et al, 2018; Kacániová et al, 2012; Guiné, 2015; Fadzilah et al, 2017; Karkar et al, 2018; Pascoal et al, 2014)
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