Chemical composition and free radical scavenging activity of Apis mellifera bee pollen from Southern Brazil.


Authors
Solange Carpes, Gerson Barreto Mourão, Severino Matias Alencar, Maria Lucia Masson

Summary
Bee pollen is an agglomerate of pollen grains from various botanical sour which are collected by the bees and mixed with nectar and secretion from hypopharyngeal glands such as β-glycosidase enzymes. Bee pollen has a com chemical composition constituted of carbohydrates, proteins, aminoacids, vita and minerals, and is considered a good nutritional source, beneficial to he particularly because of the presence of phenolic compounds with antioxi activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the nutritional composi and antioxidant activity of the bee pollen produced in the Southern region of Br The content of humidity, water activity, protein, total sugars, reducing sugars, cr fiber, lipids and minerals, as well as the content of total phenolic compou flavonoids, and antioxidant activity by the DPPH free radical scavenging met (2,2 diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) were determined. The mean contents of humi protein and reducing sugars were 4.19, 20.47 and 48%, respectively, and predominant minerals were phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesi The contents of phenolic compounds and total flavonoids were 30.46 ± 8.22 of GAE.g–1 pollen and 8.92 ± 5.5 mg of quercetin.g–1 pollen, respectively. scavenging activities were found for the free radical DPPH, with EC50 (mini concentration required for the antioxidant to reduce the initial concentration o DPPH by 50%) values that ranged from 810 to 4690 μg.mL–1. The bee polle Santa Catarina showed high antioxidant activity probably due to the high con of phenolic compounds present in pollen.

  • THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.