Multidimensional assessment of nutritional composition, contaminants and biological properties of bee pollen
Honey-bee collected pollen is renowned for its nutritional richness and potential health benefits, but compositional variations and contamination are significant challenges. This research investigates the organic and inorganic content, morphological aspects, and anticancer properties of 18 different...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Applied Food Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772502225005281 |
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| Summary: | Honey-bee collected pollen is renowned for its nutritional richness and potential health benefits, but compositional variations and contamination are significant challenges. This research investigates the organic and inorganic content, morphological aspects, and anticancer properties of 18 different pollen samples from Canada (Québec). Results revealed variability in macronutrients (carbohydrates: 39.1 to 57.0 g 100g−1, proteins: 14.3 to 23.5 g 100g−1, and lipids: 3.58 to 35.4 g 100g−1) and micronutrients, including vitamin B and C (up to 1052 µg g−1) and antioxidants. However, pollen was found to contain pesticide residues (diazinon, thiamethoxam and glyphosate at up to 32.1 ng g−1) and heavy metals (lead and arsenic at up to 3.86 mg kg−1), indicating the need for environmental monitoring, including regular assessment of pollen contamination and implementation of mitigation strategies to reduce exposure. Cytotoxicity assays showed promising anticancer effects against HeLa cells, with up to 40 % cell growth inhibition with an IC50 at 247 µg mL−1 was observed in cells treated with pollen extract compared to untreated cells. Future research should focus on profiling bioactive compounds and their bioavailability while establishing standardized characterization methods and a centralized database for accurate nutritional and safety assessments. This study provides novel insights into the composition of pollen, its biological effects and contamination levels, illustrating its nutritional and therapeutic potential. |
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| ISSN: | 2772-5022 |