Temporal changes of nutrient composition from pollen patty to bee bread with special emphasis on amino and fatty acids composition

Abstract

• Bee bread is made from bee pollen or pollen patty. • Amino acid contents increase from pollen patty to bee bread. • Increase of amino acid, proline is prominent. • Fatty acid contents decrease with the storing time. • Biological and chemical processes involved in the transition. Bee bread is prepared from pollen sources and salivary secretions by honey bee workers to serves the nutritional purpose of colony members. However, changes in nutrient composition occurring in bee bread from the pollen sources including pollen patty are poorly understood. We, therefore, examined the nutrient contents of pollen patty, used as source pollen feed of honey bee colony, and bee bread prepared by honey bee from this source at different time interval. Results revealed that amino acid content was increased from pollen patty to bee bread but fatty acid content was decreased. Essential amino acids like valine, lysine, and nonessential amino acids such as proline and alanine increased significantly over time. Among fatty acids, oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid decreased significantly from pollen patty to bee bread. Minerals contents in bee bread did not show any significant change during the study period. These changes could be presumably justified due to addition of nectar, honey, gland secretions and also microbial symbionts which remains as a task of further study.