Article
Food Science & Technology
Begona Fernandez-Pintor, Natalia Casado, Sonia Morante-Zarcero, Isabel Sierra
Summary: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) have attracted attention in food safety due to their potential health risk. Tea and herbal tea, as they can be contaminated with PAs-producing weeds, have been particularly highlighted. This study simulated the cross-contamination of chamomile tea samples with weeds to evaluate the effect of brewing on PA content. The results showed that PAs are stable compounds and the initial PA concentration strongly affects their thermal stability. Not all PAs are effectively transferred from dry material to the infusion during brewing, and the extraction efficiency may be influenced by the type of weed. The study emphasizes the importance of analyzing infusion samples to correctly assess the risk exposure of consumers to PAs.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Luciana De Jesus Inacio, Roberta Merlanti, Lorena Lucatello, Vittoria Bisutti, Lisa Carraro, Ilaria Larini, Nicola Vitulo, Barbara Cardazzo, Francesca Capolongo
Summary: A study compared DNA metabarcoding and traditional palynology methods to identify PAs/PANOs in bee pollen, showing that the molecular method performed better in distinguishing pollen from different genera but had limitations in identifying certain pollen types. The study also found a correlation between certain fungal genera and the plant genus Hypericum, highlighting the potential application of DNA metabarcoding in assessing floral and fungal diversity in bee pollen for safety control.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Lidija Svecnjak, Kristian Boskovic, Sasa Prdun, Mirna Mrkonjic Fuka, Irina Tanuwidjaja
Summary: This study examines the process of transforming bee pollen (BP) into bee bread (BB) and its chemical changes. The results demonstrate that the depth of the honeycomb cells where bees store pollen is on average 11.0 mm, and the bees store BB up to an average depth of 7.85 mm. The chemical analysis using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy reveals compositional changes in BB, primarily higher water content and altered carbohydrate composition.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Karolina Pelka, Olga Otlowska, Randy W. Worobo, Piotr Szweda
Summary: This study investigated the antimicrobial potential of ethanolic extracts of bee bread and bee pollen, finding that bee bread extracts showed higher inhibitory potential against certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The study also observed that there was no correlation between phenolic content and antimicrobial activity.
Review
Plant Sciences
Wu Wang, Ju Jin, Huifeng Xu, Yanling Shi, Mark Boersch, Yuhe Yin
Summary: This review examines the traditional uses, bioactive chemical components, and pharmacological activities of two species of Echium. The results show that the pharmacological characteristics of E.vulgare and E.plantagineum support their traditional use, but the composition and content of medicinal substances differ between the two species. Further research, including human experiments and clinical trials, is needed to evaluate the cellular and molecular mechanisms, as well as the safety, of these plants. Precise identification and development of medicinal products derived from E.vulgare and E.plantagineum are also necessary to fully utilize their medicinal potential.
JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Karolina Pelka, Randy W. Worobo, Justyna Walkusz, Piotr Szweda
Summary: The study aimed to isolate and identify bacteria present in mature bee bread and dried bee pollen, with findings indicating they may be potential sources of bacteria producing antimicrobial agents and/or enzymes of particular industrial importance. Further research is needed to verify this hypothesis, but preliminary results are promising.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Karolina Pelka, Ahmer Bin Hafeez, Randy W. Worobo, Piotr Szweda
Summary: This study evaluated the probiotic potential of 10 Bacillus spp. strains isolated from bee bread and bee pollen samples, and identified 3 potential probiotic strains. These strains are safe for humans and meet all essential probiotic requirements. They also have the ability to produce different antimicrobial compounds.
PROBIOTICS AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEINS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Carolin Friedle, Thomas Kapp, Klaus Wallner, Raghdan Alkattea, Walter Vetter
Summary: A study was conducted to analyze pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) in bee pollen samples from 57 locations in Southern Germany. It was found that 52 out of the collected samples contained PA, with concentrations up to 48,000 ng/g bee pollen. The dominant PA compounds were echinatine-NO and rinderine-NO. However, palynological analysis alone was not sufficient for the determination of PA in pollen. Furthermore, a risk assessment was performed to estimate the potential risk to humans posed by the detected PA concentrations.
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Salma Malihah Mohammad, Nor-Khaizura Mahmud-Ab-Rashid, Norhasnida Zawawi
Summary: Stingless bee-collected pollen, also known as bee bread, is a mixture of bee pollen, bee salivary enzymes, and regurgitated honey fermented by indigenous microbes. Research on bee bread is focused on promoting the meliponiculture industry and exploring its physiochemical properties and health benefits. Studies also aim to identify beneficial microbes associated with bee bread for potential applications in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michal Milek, Mateusz Molon, Monika Kula-Maximenko, Ewelina Sidor, Grzegorz Zagula, Malgorzata Dzugan
Summary: The aim of this research was to determine the impact of selected factors (temperature, ultrasound) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus inoculum on the quality of the bee bread substitute produced from converted pollen. The composition of the fermented pollen was analyzed using various methods, and its biological activity was assessed. The results showed that fermentation of pollen led to changes in composition, higher polyphenol content, comparable antioxidant activity to bee bread, and accelerated yeast growth rate.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Schaad, Marion Fracheboud, Benoit Droz, Christina Kast
Summary: Pesticide contamination of bee products is widespread. We developed an analytical method to monitor pesticide contamination in bee bread. The study revealed significant variability in pesticide occurrence and concentrations among different bee colonies. This study provides a reliable approach for pesticide monitoring campaigns.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Marianna Martinello, Chiara Manzinello, Albino Gallina, Franco Mutinelli
Summary: Two analytical methods for quantification of PAs and TAs in honey bee-collected pollen, teas, and herbal infusions were developed and validated. The methods showed good linearity, accuracy, and robustness. The results of a preliminary investigation revealed that about half of the pollen samples contained PAs below the maximum limit, while two samples were contaminated with TAs. One-third of teas or herbal infusions contained PAs or TAs, with one sample exceeding the EU limits for both PAs and TAs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Volkan Aylanc, Soraia I. Falcao, Miguel Vilas-Boas
Summary: In this study, the digestion rates of macronutrients in bee pollen and bee bread were compared using a simulated in vitro gastrointestinal system. The results showed that bee bread had a higher digestion rate, especially in terms of protein content.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Volkan Aylanc, Andreia Tomas, Paulo Russo-Almeida, Soraia I. Falcao, Miguel Vilas-Boas
Summary: Bee pollen and bee bread are excellent natural resources with rich nutrients and bioactive compounds for health improvement. However, their antioxidant capacity decreases after gastrointestinal digestion, with bee bread showing higher bioaccessibility of bioactive content than bee pollen.
Article
Microbiology
Maria Ludovica Sacca, Luisa Maria Manici
Summary: Honey bee-associated bacteria are a potential source of natural compounds for controlling hive decline. A gene-based approach was used to investigate biosynthetic genes in bacteria living on honey bees, leading to the identification of functional genes involved in the production of bioactive compounds. The findings suggest that microbial populations in apiaries harbor genes that can help reduce important honey bee pathogens.
MICROBIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)