Predominant and Secondary Pollen Botanical Origins Influence the Carotenoid and Fatty Acid Profile in Fresh Honeybee-Collected Pollen

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 62; no. 27; pp. 6306 - 6316
• Main Authors: Mărgăoan, Rodica, Mărghitaş, Liviu Al, Dezmirean, Daniel S, Dulf, Francisc V, Bunea, Andrea, Socaci, Sonia Ancuţa, Bobiş, Otilia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 09.07.2014; American Chemical Society, Books and Journals Division
• Subjects: Animals; Asteraceae - chemistry; Bees - physiology; beta-carotene; Brassica; capillary gas chromatography; Carotenoids - analysis; Chromatography, Gas; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; fatty acid composition; Fatty Acids - analysis; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; high performance liquid chromatography; lutein; pollen; Pollen - chemistry; Pollination; polyunsaturated fatty acids; saturated fatty acids; Taraxacum - chemistry; Taraxacum officinale; Romania; bee-collected pollen; botanical origin; carotenoids; fatty acids; GC; HPLC
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf5020318

Total and individual carotenoids, fatty acid composition of total lipids, and main lipid classes of 16 fresh bee-collected pollen samples from Romania were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection and capillary gas chromatography with mass detection. Analyzed samples were found rich in lutein, whereas β-criptoxanthin and β-carotene were present in a wide range of amounts correlated with predominant botanical origin of the samples. High amounts of lutein were correlated with the presence of Callendula officinalis, Taraxacum officinale and Anthylis sp. The highest amount of total lipids was found in samples where pollen from Brassica sp. was predominant. Lipid classes were dominated by polyunsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were determined in variable amounts. Lipid and carotenoid contents present great variability, explained by the various botanical species present in the samples.