Recent advances and opportunities related to the use of bee products in food processing

Abstract

One of the oldest examples of the existence of beekeeping is the murals from the Araña Cave in Spain, which show people collecting honey from the nest of untamed bees. In ancient times, honey was used as a medicine and also to embalm corpses. During Greek feasts, it was an indispensable part of the menu. However, the greatest boom in beekeeping took place in ancient Rome, where hives made of straw and clay were found, dating back to 900 B.C. (Kritsky, 2017). The Egyptians placed a vessel filled with a "golden drink" in the tombs of the pharaohs, which showed that it was indeed considered something special. In the beginning, people discovered that honey collected by bees can be found in the hollows of trees. They climbed these trees, taking the honey from the bees-the result of their hard work. Then, they started to breed bees, building their nests in the hollows of old trees, the so-called beehives. Shortly thereafter, they noticed that you can only relocate the part of the tree to the field where the hollow is located, and then you will not have to climb to ensure you have constant access to this valuable product. Over time, people, thinking

Bee Bread: A Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Properties—First Report on Some Antimicrobial Features

“…The BP fermentation in the BB formation process changed the bioactive compounds’ amounts and chemical profiles to increase their bioavailability and bioaccessibility [ 83 , 84 , 85 ]. Also, lactic fermentation by bacteria and/or yeast degrades the pollen wall and releases PCs, which are associated with carbohydrates or proteins [ 84 , 86 ]. Additionally, Zhang et al [ 87 ] reported that the contents of flavonoids in fermented BP increased up to 144.66-fold/units, and of phenolic acids only up to 28.9-fold compared to unfermented BP.…”

Yogurt supplemented with bee pollen: Physicochemical and sensory properties, and in vitro pollen digestibility

“…In the last decade, various studies have been conducted to assess the incorporation of bee pollen into yogurt formulation and evaluate the composition; physicochemical, sensory, microbial, and rheological properties; antioxidant capacity, microstructure, amino acids, and probiotic growth and viability [10][11][12]. As mentioned above, BP provides important nutrients and bioactive compounds with positive impact on human health; moreover, often it is recognized as complete food [13]. Thus, the study of BP incorporating into yogurt is valuable for industrial applications.…”

Quantitative Analysis of Bioaccessible Phenolic Compounds in Aegean Bee Bread Using LC‐HRMS Coupled with a Human Digestive System Model

“…Several studies demonstrate that bee products exhibit antibacterial, [3] antifungal, [4] antiviral, [5] antiprotozoal, [6] anticancer, [7] features thanks to bioactive compounds they contain [8] . Apitherapy is a significant type of complementary treatment using bee products for both the cure and prevention of various diseases involving diabetic foot ulcers, injuries, rhinitis and rheumatoid arthritis since ancient times [9,10] …”

“…Fundamentally, it is a mixture of fermented bee pollen, honey and the digestive enzymes of bee, and is a rich food in terms of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, as well as vitamins, and minerals [12] . Besides, bee bread is an essential food for queen bee and baby bees in the hive, so it is called the food of baby bee [9] . Moreover, in addition to providing micro and macronutrients for bee colonies, it is a primary source to obtain royal jelly which is another precious bee product used to feed queen bees [14] .…”

“…Besides, bee bread comprises valuable bioactive compounds that bee pollen does not. Thus, the bioactivity of bee bread is significantly higher than bee pollen [9] . These properties enable bee bread to become a functional nutrient [5] .…”