Bee pollen in allergy and immunology. Short review

Abstract

S u m m a r yBee pollen is a natural resource -pollen collected by bees and stored in the beehive with various bee enzymes added as it is a mixture of plants pollen and bee saliva. It is rich source of various nutrients, among them exogenous amino acids. Therefore, it can be a good and natural dietary supplement. New possibilities for bee pollen usage arise every day, yet it can also be a threat. Although bee pollen can act as an immunostimulant and anti-allergic agent, it is also and maybe even primarily allergic or cross-reactive with many allergens. A number of bee pollen allergy cases was described worldwide. A caution is therefore needed before ingestion or any other form of administration, especially in case of children or individuals with atopic predispositions. Anti-allergic attributes and immunostimmulation ability still need further research. key words: bee pollen, bee pollen allergy, bee pollen immunology Bee pollen -what is it exactly?Bee pollen is a natural resource -a pollen collected by bees and stored in the beehive with various bee enzymes added as it is a mixture of plants pollen and bee saliva. Its chemical compositions varies, depending on the plant source, but it has been proved to contain about 250 different chemical substancesamino acids, vitamins, micro-and macroelements, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, flavonoids [1,2]. About 20% of bee pollen is

Exploring the Health Benefits of Bee Pollen and Its Viability as a Functional Food Ingredient

“…Various techniques including chemical treatments, high temperature, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation, and other physical treatments have been employed so far to destroy the exine layer which allows nutrients to flow freely [12]. Apart from this, another challenge faced by the manufacturers is the safety and acceptability of bee pollen as per the guidelines approved by various regulatory bodies [19]. Therefore, keeping all the above points in mind, several considerations need to be followed by manufacturers while developing any bee pollen-based food products.…”

“…Neglecting hygienic standards during early production stages can lead to health risks for consumers. The critical step is pollen collection from traps, where prolonged storage may elevate humidity, fostering microbial growth [19,25].…”

“…People having an intolerance to bee pollen might suffer from health problems such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin allergy, gastroenteritis, nausea, urticaria, malaise, cognitive impairment, rhinitis, dysphagia, myalgia, disorientation etc. [19]. Moreover, the presence of certain contaminants is another matter of concern that needs to be addressed before incorporating bee pollen into food products.…”

“…The bee pollen extracts of aforementioned varieties showed positive reactions in the skin-prick test [29,30]. Thus, bee pollen and other bee products must be given very carefully to particularly children and older adults as they may cross-react with other allergens (like pollens and other bee products) [19].…”

The awareness of Polish society about bee pollen and its health-promoting properties - preliminary assessment of factors determined bee pollen supplementation in survey-based study

“…Bee pollen is also called "bee bread", or "ambrosia"; it is stored in brood cells, mixed with saliva, and sealed with a drop of honey. [6] Bee pollen contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. [7] The specific composition of bee pollen ascribes a wide spectrum of medical properties, e.g.…”