Pollen as a Novel Ingredient for Functional Foods: Characterization and Antioxidant Properties

MORENO GALVIS GILDARDO; DIEGO K. YAMUL; ALBA S. NAVARRO

Congreso; Third International Congress on BBiological and Health Sciences; 2023

Human health depends on many factors such as people lifestyle, genetic, and nutrition, among others. The consumption of functional foods (foods containing health-giving additives) is mandatory for managing health through nutrition. A healthy diet is often based on natural products that contains bioactive compounds like antioxidants, those capable of reducing the oxidative stress derived from the biochemical reaction within the cells. Bee pollen has been underestimated as a functional ingredient for a long time. However, numerous studies place pollen as a natural promising ingredient for functional foods due to its nutritional composition. The objective of this work was to characterize bee pollen from “pampeana” Argentinian region and determine its antioxidant properties. Multiflora pollen samples were obtained from beehives located in Balcarce (Buenos Aires province, Argentina). Color of the pollen grains was determined with a Chroma meter, and their morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR spectroscopy was performed on pollen powdered samples. The composition was carried out using the protocol of the AOAC and Argentine regulation. The total phenolic and flavonoid content, antioxidant activity (DPPH• and ABTS+), vitamin C, and β-carotene were determined on pollen extracts (1g/10 mL ethanol). Color coordinates values (L*=59.62±1.48, a*=5.33±1.14, b*=31.23±1.91) indicate that the yellow pigment was predominant, and it could be attributed to carotenoids. The visual observation of the pollen grains at naked eye allowed to infer different botanical origin of the pollen samples. This result was confirmed by SEM. Percentage values of moisture content (16.29±0.06), water activity (0.341±0.004), ash content (2.84±0.11), proteins (21.88±0.02) and lipids (6.59±0.36) are all of them within the Argentinian regulations, except the moisture content. Composition results of the vitamin C (7.07±2.87 mg ascorbic acid/100g), β-carotene (51.64±3.79 μg/g), total polyphenols (69.28±2.47 mg gallic acid/g), flavonoids (0.62±0.07 mg quercetin/g), DPPH• (EC50=3.35 mg/mL) and ABTS+ (33.46±1.00 µg Trolox/g) suggest that bee pollen is an interesting source of phytochemicals with biological activity. The FTIR spectrum shows the typical absorption bands of the chemical groups from polyphenols, organic acids, sugars, and proteins. These results indicate that pollen could be included in the list of functional ingredients with positive effects on human health.