Biotechnological Processes Simulating the Natural Fermentation Process of Bee Bread and Therapeutic Properties-An Overview

Volatile profile of bee bread

Bee bread is one of the least studied bee products. In this study, ten bee bread samples were characterized using palynology and HS-SPME-GC-MS (headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). In total, over one hundred different volatile components were identified, belonging to different chemical groups. Only ten common components were detected in all the samples. These volatiles were ethanol, ethylene chloride, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, α-pinene, furfural, nonane, nonanal, n-hexane and isovaleric acid. Several other components were commonly shared among various bee bread samples. Over sixty detected compounds have not been previously reported in bee bread. The analysis required a mild extraction temperature of 40 °C, as higher temperatures resulted in the Maillard reaction, leading to the production of furfural. The profile of volatile compounds of the tested bee pollen samples was complex and varied. Some relationships have been shown between botanical origin and volatile organic compound profile.

New insights into bee pollen: Nutrients, phytochemicals, functions and wall-disruption

Bee pollen is hailed as a treasure trove of human nutrition and has progressively emerged as the source of functional food and medicine. This review conducts a compilation of nutrients and phytochemicals in bee pollen, with particular emphasis on some ubiquitous and unique phenolamides and flavonoid glycosides. Additionally, it provides a concise overview of the diverse health benefits and therapeutic properties of bee pollen, particularly anti-prostatitis and anti-tyrosinase effects. Furthermore, based on the distinctive structural characteristics of pollen walls, a substantial debate has persisted in the past concerning the necessity of wall-disruption. This review provides a comprehensive survey on the necessity of wall-disruption, the impact of wall-disruption on the release and digestion of nutrients, and wall-disruption techniques in industrial production. Wall-disruption appears effective in releasing and digesting nutrients and exploiting bee pollen's bioactivities. Finally, the review underscores the need for future studies to elucidate the mechanisms of beneficial effects. This paper will likely help us gain better insight into bee pollen to develop further functional foods, personalized nutraceuticals, cosmetics products, and medicine.

A review of fermented bee products: Sources, nutritional values, and health benefits

Bee products have garnered considerable interest due to their abundant nutritional content and versatile biological activities. The utilization of bee products as fermentation materials has shown favorable potential for increasing nutrients, altering texture, and endorsing unique tastes. This review critically examines the existing literature on fermented bee products, with a specific emphasis on the impact of fermentation on their nutritional composition and potential health benefits. The raw materials, strains, conditions, and methodologies employed in the fermentation of bee products, as well as the utilization of bee products as fermentation raw materials/excipients, are reviewed. We also present a special focus on the nutritional composition and content of bioactive substances, such as polyphenols and volatile organic compounds, in fermented bee products. Additionally, the influence of fermentation on bee product ingredients and their health benefits is summarized. Fermented bee products substantially benefit human health, with superior antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic properties compared to non-fermented bee products. Finally, this article discusses the types, strains, health benefits, production processes, and market prospects of fermented bee products, which are expected to become an important part of human food culture as functional food or nutritional supplements. The aforementioned findings highlight the remarkable nutritional value and bioactive properties exhibited by fermented bee products.

The Modulation Effect of a Fermented Bee Pollen Postbiotic on Cardiovascular Microbiota and Therapeutic Perspectives

Hypertension is a frequent comorbidity in patients with heart failure; therefore, blood pressure management for these patients is widely recommended in medical guidelines. Bee pollen and postbiotics that contain inactivated probiotic cells and their metabolites have emerged as promising bioactive compounds sources, and their potential role in mitigating cardiovascular (CV) risks is currently being unveiled. Therefore, this preliminary study aimed to investigate the impact of a lactic-fermented bee pollen postbiotic (FBPP) on the CV microbiota via in vitro tests. A new isolated Lactobacillus spp. strain from the digestive tract of bees was used to ferment pollen, obtaining liquid and dried atomized caps postbiotics. The modulating effects on a CV microbiota that corresponds to the pathophysiology of hypertension were investigated using microbiological methods and qPCR and correlated with the metabolic profile. Both liquid and dried FBPPs increased the number of the beneficial Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. bacteria by up to 2 log/mL, while the opportunistic pathogen E. coli, which contributes to CV pathogenesis, decreased by 3 log/mL. The short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) profile revealed a significant increase in lactic (6.386 ± 0.106 g/L) and acetic (4.284 ± 0.017 g/L) acids, both with known antihypertensive effects, and the presence of isovaleric acid, which promotes a healthy gut microbiota. Understanding the impact of the FBPP on gut microbiota could lead to innovative strategies for promoting heart health and preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Phenolics from Chilean Bee Bread Exhibit Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties: The First Prospective Study

Bee bread (BB) is a beehive product generated upon fermentation of pollen combined with flower nectar and glandular secretions. The potential application of BB is related to its nutritional and functional components, including phenolic compounds. This is the first prospective study on palynological parameters, phenolics, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of Chilean bee bread in vitro. The tested material exhibited high levels of phenolics (1340±186 mg GAE/100 g BB) and showed antioxidant capacity as determined by the FRAP (51±2 μmol Trolox equivalent/g BB) and ORAC-FL (643±64 μmol Trolox equivalent/g BB) and antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pyogenes. Furthermore, the phenolic acids and flavonoids was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the concentration was determined using liquid chromatography with diode array detection. Kaempferol, quercetin, ferulic acid, and rutin were the main phenolics found. This study demonstrates the bioactive potential of Chilean BB and supports the evidence that this bee product is a promising source of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds.

Translational Research on Bee Pollen as a Source of Nutrients: A Scoping Review from Bench to Real World

The emphasis on healthy nutrition is gaining a forefront place in current biomedical sciences. Nutritional deficiencies and imbalances have been widely demonstrated to be involved in the genesis and development of many world-scale public health burdens, such as metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, bee pollen is emerging as a scientifically validated candidate, which can help diminish conditions through nutritional interventions. This matrix is being extensively studied, and has proven to be a very rich and well-balanced nutrient pool. In this work, we reviewed the available evidence on the interest in bee pollen as a nutrient source. We mainly focused on bee pollen richness in nutrients and its possible roles in the main pathophysiological processes that are directly linked to nutritional imbalances. This scoping review analyzed scientific works published in the last four years, focusing on the clearest inferences and perspectives to translate cumulated experimental and preclinical evidence into clinically relevant insights. The promising uses of bee pollen for malnutrition, digestive health, metabolic disorders, and other bioactivities which could be helpful to readjust homeostasis (as it is also true in the case of anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidant needs), as well as the benefits on cardiovascular diseases, were identified. The current knowledge gaps were identified, along with the practical challenges that hinder the establishment and fructification of these uses. A complete data collection made with a major range of botanical species allows more robust clinical information.

Bacterial Profile and Fatty Acid Composition of Anatolian Bee Bread Samples by Metataxonomic and Metabolomic Approach

This study investigated the bacterial and postbiotic potential of three Anatolian bee bread samples obtained from different regions of Turkey (Marmara, Aegean, and Mediterranean) and offered for human consumption. The families most commonly found in Anatolian bee bread were Lactobacillaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Bacteroidaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Lactobacillus delbruckeii was highly abundant, but also other beneficial bacteria, known to be next-generation probiotics, were revealed in bee bread, such as Prevotalla copri, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Akkermansia muciniphila. Apart from these beneficial bacteria, bee bread samples also harbored undesired bacteria such as Phocaeicola vulgatus, Phocaeicola dorei, and Clostridium perfringens. Fatty acid composition showed that bee bread samples had butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid, as a postbiotic. Additionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids were also found such as alfa-linolenic acid and eicosadienoic acid. The fatty acids with the highest amounts were palmitic acid (~ 30%), stearic acid (~ 17%), and alpha-linolenic acid (~ 12%). One of the samples exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Chemical composition and androgenic effect of bee drone larvae (Apilarnil) for goat male kids

Present study aimed to establish the stimulatory effects of bee drone larvae (BDL) on the androgenic effects and growth performance of goat male kids (GMK). The effects of BDL on growth and testosterone hormone levels were investigated in Saanen male kids. A total of 26 Saanen male kids (13 heads control, 13 heads treatment groups) were used for determining the effects of BDL 60 days after the weaning period. BDL was obtained from "good beekeeping practices" hives. Hormone levels, growth trials, testes characteristics, and body measurements were determined every 14 days on the days 75, 90, 105, 120, and 135 of the trial. The increasing level of testosterone hormone in the treatment group on 135 days strengthened the hypothesis that the BDL could have greater effects in case of more application that is expensive and considering the time of maturity of Saanen GMK. The lipid composition of BDL was identified by GC-MS. Oleic acid (64.75%) and palmitic acid (26.08%) were the dominant lipid compounds of BDL. Additionally, the phenolic/organic acid profile investigated by HPLC-DAD revealed that trans -aconitic acid (11.20±0.32 μg/g) and fumaric acid (5.03±0.41 μg/g) were found as major compounds in BDL.