article · Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
An evaluation of bee-pollens collected from major floral sources in Al-Ahsa, eastern Saudi Arabia, examined the crude protein content and amino acid profiles of alfalfa, date palm, rape, summer squash, and sunflower. Across all five sources, eighteen amino acids were identified, with concentrations significantly dependent on the botanical origin. Alfalfa and date palm pollens displayed high amounts of crude protein and amino acids, whereas sunflower pollen showed comparatively low levels. Specific floral sources yielded the highest levels of particular amino acids, such as lysine in date palm and leucine in alfalfa. With few exceptions, the essential amino acids from alfalfa, date palm, summer squash, and rape exceeded the dietary requirements of honeybees. Methionine served as the limiting amino acid across all tested varieties. Ultimately, bee-pollens derived from alfalfa, date palm, and summer squash demonstrated substantial nutritional value for both bees and adult humans.
Understanding the nutritional composition of bee-pollens helps assess their suitability as natural food sources. Because pollen quality varies widely depending on the flower it originates from, profiling protein and amino acids reveals which plants best support the health and survival of honeybee colonies while also providing nutrient-dense dietary options for human consumption.
The findings could inform beekeepers, honey producers, and nutritional supplement manufacturers seeking rich protein sources for managed hives or human dietary products. Since the work represents early-stage nutritional and chemical characterisation without formulation or market testing, commercial application would require further product development and processing trials based on these identified floral sources.
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Protein content and amino acids composition of bee-pollens from major pollen floral sources in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia were determined to investigate the nutritive value of pollen protein relative to requirements of honeybees and adult humans. The major pollen sources were alfalfa, date palm, rape, summer squash, and sunflower. Bee-pollens from alfalfa and date palm showed high content of crude protein and amino acid concentrations. Bee-pollen from sunflower had low content of those components. Eighteen amino acids were found in bee-pollens from the five major floral sources. The highest concentrations of individual amino acids valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and proline were obtained from alfalfa bee-pollen; lysine, arginine, cysteine, tryptophan and tyrosine from date palm; methionine, histidine, glycine and alanine from summer squash; threonine, serine and glutamic acid from sunflower; and aspartic acid from rape bee-pollen. The amino acid composition obtained from sunflower bee-pollen showed the lowest concentrations of the essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine and valine. Apart from methionine, arginine and isoleucine, the essential amino acids of bee-pollen from alfalfa, date palm, summer squash and rape exceeded the honeybees' requirements. Methionine was the limiting amino acid in bee-pollens from the five selected sources. Concentrations of essential amino acids in the tested bee-pollens were variable and significantly correlated to their botanical origin of pollen. Bee-pollens from alfalfa, date palm and summer squash was found to be rich source of protein and amino acids for bees and for humans.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2017.06.003
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