Elemental composition and evaluation of noncarcinogenic risks of bee pollen from different Turkish areas.

Bee pollen is a complex compound formed by the honey bee through a mixture pollen, nectar, and bee saliva. It contains many elements that have importance for the human biochemical process. However, when the content of minerals in the pollen exceeds the biological limit, it can be toxic to health. This study aimed to assess and identify the presence of 16 essential (potassium [K], phosphorus [P], calcium [Ca], magnesium [Mg], sodium [Na], iron [Fe], silicon [Si], manganese [Mn], zinc [Zn], boron [B], copper [Cu], molybdenum [Mo], nickel [Ni], chromium [Cr], selenium [Se], and cobalt [Co]) and 16 nonessential elements (aluminum [Al], beryllium [Be], barium [Ba], arsenic [As], cadmium [Cd], mercury [Hg], thallium [Tl], lithium [Li], antimony [Sb], vanadium [V], lead [Pb], rubidium [Rb], strontium [Sr], cesium [Cs], titanium [Ti], and uranium [U]) in bee pollen samples from different floral sources in Turkey, while also evaluating the noncarcinogenic risks associated with bee pollen. A melissopalynological investigation was conducted to identify the plant origins of the bee pollen samples. Thereafter, the levels of 32 elements in bee pollen samples were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Finally, calculations were performed to determine the recommended dietary allowance percentage (RDA%), estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index (HI). The bee pollen samples had varying levels of macro, trace, and ultratrace elements, with K, P, Ca, Mg, and Na being the most abundant macro elements and Ti, Ba, Ni, Cr, and V being the least abundant ultratrace elements. The RDA% values for essential elements in bee pollen were found to vary, with Cu, Zn, Fe, and Cr having the highest levels. The results of the THQ and HI calculations demonstrated that consuming bee pollen at recommended rates did not pose a risk to the health of adults or children. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1575-1585. © 2023 SETAC.

Investigation of Botanical Origin, Phenolic Compounds, Carotenoids, and Antioxidant Properties of Monofloral and Multifloral Bee Bread.

Bee bread is a unique natural product made by bees and good for human health. It has many bioactive molecules that can treat or prevent diseases. In this study, melissopalynological methods were used to examine five bee bread samples. Major plant sources found in bee bread were Lotus spp., Trifolium spp., and Xeranthemum spp., which are from the Fabaceae and Asteraceae families. Then, the amount of phenolic compounds and major carotenoids in bee bread (BB) samples were quantified. Gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol were found in all BB samples, with ß-carotene being the most abundant carotenoid in all but BB1. In addition, the total phenolic/flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of all BB samples were determined. Total flavonoid, total phenolic, DPPH⋅, and ABTS⋅+ values were varied between 5.6-10.00 mg GAE/g DW, 1.2-4.3 mg QE/g DW, 1.2-5.5 mg TEAC/g DW, and 2.6-15.4 mg TEAC/g DW, respectively.

A comparison of the antioxidant activities and biomonitoring of heavy metals by pollen in the urban environments.

Pollen is one of the most valuable nutrients due to its content and antioxidant activity. In this study, its botanic origin, total phenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), the hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity (HPSA) (in terms of SC50), ferric reducing antioxidant power capacity (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (in terms of SC50), metal-chelating activity (MCA) (%), and heavy metal content were examined to determine the quality of pollen that has been collected from seven different cities of Turkey. According to the melissopalynological analysis, the botanic origin of samples is six uni-flora and one multiflora. The TPC, TFC, HPSA, FRAP, DPPH, and MCA were found between 1360.70-2981.34 mg GAE/100 g, 74.23-111.74 mg CAE/100 g, 25.56-30.28 µg/mL, 71.92-73.86%, 52.26-53.27 µg/mL, and 43.97-65.21%, respectively. When obtained results compared to the standards (Butylated Hydroxy Anisole (BHA), Butylated Hydroxy Toluene (BHT) and α-Tocopherol (TOC)), pollen samples showed the effective antioxidant properties with respect to HPSA, FRAP, and DPPH radical scavenging activity. In addition, it was observed that honey samples were being contaminated with most of the metals to some extent (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, B, As, Te, U), while some heavy metals (Co, Cd, V, Ga, and Ag) were never determined in all samples. However, Pb was determined only in sample 2 and sample 4, Mo in sample 1 and sample 2. According to meteorological parameters, samples 3, 4, and 5 were distinguished from the other samples. Finally, the data indicate that pollen could be affected by environmental pollutions.