Abstract
This study aimed to characterize bee products (bee bread, bee pollen, beeswax, and multiflorous honey) with the profile of phenolic compounds, total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, and antioxidant and microbiological properties. The TP and TF contents could be ordered as follows: bee pollen > bee bread > beeswax > honey. The UPLC−PDA−MS/MS analysis allowed identifying 20 polyphenols. Sinapic acid dominated in bee pollen, gallic acid in the bee bread and honey, while pinobanksin was the major compound of beeswax. The data showed that bee pollen and bee bread had a stronger antioxidant potential than honey and beeswax. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the bee products was studied using 14 bacterial strains. Bee bread’s and bee pollen’s antimicrobial activity was higher towards Gram-negative strains. In comparison, honey was more potent in inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria. Our study indicates that bee products may represent valuable sources of bioactive compounds offering functional properties.
Highlights
Numerous studies have pointed out the high nutritional value and health benefits of such bee products as pollen, bee bread, honey, and beeswax [1,2,3]
The total phenolic (TPC) was within the range from 0.47 ± 0.04 to 32.52 ± 2.19 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g, and its highest value was determined in the bee pollen (32.52 ± 2.19 mg GAE/g)
Each bee product was characterized by specific antimicrobial properties correlated with TPC, Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), and individual polyphenolic content
Summary
Numerous studies have pointed out the high nutritional value and health benefits of such bee products as pollen, bee bread, honey, and beeswax [1,2,3]. [4] determined the phenolic composition of Lithuanian honey samples and showed they were rich in p-coumaric acid, kaempferol, chrysin, and apigenin. They found a strong correlation between the content of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity. Socha et al [5] found a linear correlation between phenolics content and antioxidant activity in different varieties of Polish honey. Isorhamnetin, and kaempferol were determined as major components of the bee pollen [6]. Flavonoid glycosides of 6-methoxyquercetin (patuletin) were detected in Brazilian pollen samples, together with hydroxycinnamic acid amide derivatives [7]
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