Nutritional content of fresh, bee-collected and stored pollen of Aloe greatheadii var. davyana (Asphodelaceae)

Abstract

Aloe greatheadii var. davyana is the most important indigenous South African bee plant. Fresh, bee-collected and stored pollen of this aloe was collected and analysed for its nutritional content, including amino acid and fatty acid composition. Highly significant differences were found between the three types of pollen. Collection and storage by the bees resulted in increased water (13-21% wet weight) and carbohydrate content (35-61% dry weight), with a resultant decrease in crude protein (51-28% dry weight) and lipid content (10-8% dry weight). Essential amino acids were present in equal or higher amounts than the required minimum levels for honeybee development, with the exception of tryptophan. Fatty acids comprised a higher proportion of total lipid in fresh pollen than in bee-collected and stored pollen. This study is the first to compare the changes that occur in pollen of a single species after collection by honeybees. Graphical abstractThe first study to characterise changes in pollen of a single species after collection by honeybees reports highly significant differences. The addition of nectar to fresh pollen results in increased water and carbohydrate content, and decrease in crude protein and lipid content. Article Outline

Physicochemical characteristics of pollen collected by Amazonian stingless bees

“…The value reported in this study for carbohydrates in pollen samples was similar to that reported by HUMAN & NICOLSON (2006) in fresh pollen from South Africa (34.7%), and SOUZA et al (2004) calculated a mean percentage of 37.5% for glycides in meliponine-collected pollen. The Technical Regulation for bee pollen determines that the total sugar content can vary in the range 14.5-55.0% on a dry weight basis.…”

Antioxidant supplementation can reduce the survival costs of excess amino acid intake in honeybees

“…This result is surprising as bees often eat nitrogen rich foods; worker bees routinely ingest amino acid rich pollen (Human and Nicolson, 2006) and may even cannibalise brood under conditions of protein deficit (Schmickl and Crailsheim, 2001). Amino acids are vital for honeybee growth, maintenance and development, for example, foraging bees need to preserve and maintain flight muscles that experience wear and tear during flight (Roberts and Elekonich, 2005) and EAAs are vital building blocks for this protein turnover and repair.…”

Chemical Composition and Amounts of Mineral Elements in Honeybee-Collected Pollen in Relation to Botanical Origin

“…Honeybee-collected pollen provides a rich source of easily digestible protein (Crailsheim et al, 1992;Campos et al, 1996;Serra Bonvehi and Escola Jorda, 1997;Szczęsna, 2006a;b). In addition to proteins, pollen also contains carbohydrates, fats and minerals (Orzáez Villanueva et al, 2002;Szczęsna et al, 2002;Almeida-Muradian et al, 2005;Human and Nicolson, 2006;Szczęsna, 2006a;2007;Campos et al, 2008;Carpes et al, 2009;Martins et al, 2011;Morgano et al, 2012). The chemical composition of bee-pollen showed an average of 7.40% moisture, 20.00% protein, 6.00% lipids, and 2.20% ash (Almeida-Muradian et al, 2005).…”

“…Different values (4.20, 20.50, 4.90, and 2.90%, respectively) of Brazilian bee-pollen were found by Carpes et al (2009). The chemical composition of bee-pollen is known to vary according to the plant species from which the pollen was collected (Szczęsna et al, 2002;2006a;Morgano et al, 2012), the geographic origin (Serra Bonvehi and Escola Jorda, 1997;Carpes et al, 2009;Martins et al, 2011;Morgano et al, 2012), the season (Szczęsna et al, 2002;Morgano et al, 2012), and the storage and storage method (Human and Nicolson, 2006;Siuda et al, 2012). Bee-pollen was involved in formulating supplementary food products because of its nutritional and therapeutic properties (Iannuzzi, 1993;Campos et al, 1996;Serra Bonvehi and Escola Jorda, 1997;Pernal and Currie, 2000;Orzáez Villanueva et al, 2002;Kacániová et al, 2012;Morgano et al, 2012).…”