Chemical Profiling and Nutritional Evaluation of Bee Pollen,Bee Bread,and Royal Jelly and Their Role in Functional Fermented Dairy Products

Honeybee products, as multicomponent substances, have been a focus of great interest. The present work aimed to perform the nutritional and chemical profiling and biochemical characterization of bee pollen (BP), bee bread (BB), and royal jelly (RJ) and study their applications in the fortification of functional fermented dairy products. Their effects on starter cultures and the physicochemical and sensorial quality of products were monitored. A molecular networking analysis identified a total of 46 compounds in the three bee products that could be potential medicines, including flavonoids, fatty acids, and peptides. BB showed the highest protein and sugar contents (22.57 and 26.78 g/100 g), which cover 45.14 and 53.56% of their daily values (DVs), with considerable amounts of the essential amino acids threonine and lysine (59.50 and 42.03%). BP, BB, and RJ can be considered sources of iron, as 100 g can cover 141, 198.5, and 94.94% of DV%, respectively. BP was revealed to have the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents (105.68 and 43.91 µg/g) and showed a synergetic effect when mixed with RJ, resulting in increased antioxidant activity, while BB showed a synergetic effect when mixed with RJ in terms of both antioxidant and proteolytic powers (IC₅₀ 7.54, 11.55, 12.15, 12.50, and 12.65 cP compared to the control (10.55 cP)), reflecting their organoleptic properties and highlighting these health-oriented products as promising natural products for human health care.     

Multielemental Analysis of Yew,Pine and Spruce Needles by ICP-AES

Abstract

Concentrations of 22 trace and nutritional elements in yew, pine and spruce needles collected from urban and industrial areas were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Dependence of concentrations of trace elements in conifers species on sampling site was investigated. Various procedures of sample digestion (different acids, conventional hot plate and microwave digestion methods, dry ashing) were examined and discussed.     

Elemental Characterization of Ciders and Other Low-Percentage Alcoholic Beverages Available on the Polish Market

Seventy-three samples of alcoholic beverages and juices that were purchased on the Polish market and home-made were analyzed for their elemental profiles. The levels of 23 metals were determined by ICP-MS (Ag, Ba, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr and Tl), ICP-OES (Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Ti and Zn) and CVAAS (Hg) techniques in twenty-five samples of ciders widely available on the Polish market; six samples of home-made ciders; two samples of juices used in the production of these ciders; and forty samples of low-percentage, flavored alcoholic beverages based on beer. The gathered analytical data confirmed that the final elemental fingerprint of a product is affected by the elemental fingerprint of the ingredients used (apple variety) as well as the technology and equipment used by the producer, and in the case of commercial ciders, also the impact of type of the packaging used was proven. These factors are specific to each producer and the influence of the mentioned above parameters was revealed as a result of the performed analysis. Additionally, the inclusion of the home-made ciders in the data set helped us to understand the potential origin of some elements, from the raw materials to the final products. The applied statistical tests revealed (Kruskal–Wallis and ANOVA) the existence of statistically significant differences in the concentration of the following metals: Ag, Al, B, Bi, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Na, Ni, Ti and Zn in terms of the type of cider origin (commercial and home-made). In turn, for different packaging (can or bottle) within one brand of commercial cider, the existence of statistically significant differences for Cu, Mn and Na was proved. The concentrations of all determined elements in the commercial cider from the Polish market and home-made cider samples can be considered as nontoxic, because the measured levels of elements indicated in the regulations were lower than the allowable limits. Moreover, the obtained results can be treated as preliminary for the potential authentication of products in order to distinguish the home-made (fake) from the authentic products, especially for premium-class alcoholic beverages.     

Exploring the Palynological,Chemical, and Bioactive Properties of Non-Studied Bee Pollen and Honey from Morocco

Bee products are known for their beneficial properties widely used in complementary medicine. This study aims to unveil the physicochemical, nutritional value, and phenolic profile of bee pollen and honey collected from Boulemane–Morocco, and to evaluate their antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activity. The results indicate that Citrus aurantium pollen grains were the majority pollen in both samples. Bee pollen was richer in proteins than honey while the inverse was observed for carbohydrate content. Potassium and calcium were the predominant minerals in the studied samples. Seven similar phenolic compounds were found in honey and bee pollen. Three phenolic compounds were identified only in honey (catechin, caffeic acid, vanillic acid) and six phenolic compounds were identified only in bee pollen (hesperidin, cinnamic acid, apigenin, rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol). Naringin is the predominant phenolic in honey while hesperidin is predominant in bee pollen. The results of bioactivities revealed that bee pollen exhibited stronger antioxidant activity and effective α-amylase and α-glycosidase inhibitory action. These bee products show interesting nutritional and bioactive capabilities due to their chemical constituents. These features may allow these bee products to be used in food formulation, as functional and bioactive ingredients, as well as the potential for the nutraceutical sector.     

ICP-MS Multi-Elemental Analysis of the Human Meninges Collected from Sudden Death Victims in South-Eastern Poland

Metals perform many important physiological functions in the human body. The distribution of elements in different tissues is not uniform. Moreover, some structures can be the site of an accumulation of essential or toxic metals, leading to multi-directional intracellular damage. In the nervous system, these disorders are especially dangerous. Metals dyshomeostasis has been linked to a variety of neurological disorders which end up leading to permanent injuries. The multi-elemental composition of the human brain is still the subject of numerous investigations and debates. In this study, for the first time, the meninges, i.e., the dura mater and the arachnoid, were examined for their elemental composition by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Tissue samples were collected post mortem from those who died suddenly as a result of suicide (n = 20) or as a result of injuries after an accident (n = 20). The interactions between 51 elements in both groups showed mainly weak positive correlations, which dominated the arachnoid mater compared to the dura mater. The study showed differences in the distribution of some elements within the meninges in the studied groups. The significant differences concerned mainly metals from the lanthanide family (Ln), macroelements (Na, K, Ca, Mg), a few micronutrients (Co), and toxic cadmium (Cd). The performed evaluation of the elemental distribution in the human meninges sheds new light on the trace metals metabolism in the central nervous system, although we do not yet fully understand the role of the human meninges.     

DRC-ICP-MS测定蜂王浆中硒的方法研究

为解决电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(ICP-MS)测定蜂王浆中硒(Se)含量时产生的干扰问题,应用动态反应池(DRC)技术,通过对反应气种类、流量及测定元素同位素的优化,确定了消除干扰的方法。实验结果表明,当以78Se为分析物,甲烷(CH_4)为反应气且流量为0.5 m L·min~(-1)时,可有效降低干扰。该方法的线性范围宽(0.1~100μg·L~(-1)),检出限低(0.052 2μg·L~(-1)),精密度好,重复测定7次结果的相对标准偏差(RSD)均小于5%,加标回收率为95.0%~103.9%。实际样品测定结果显示,DRC-ICP-MS法与经典原子荧光法的测定结果相比无显著差异。     

Screening of Plant Pollen Sources,Polyphenolic Compounds,Fatty Acids and Antioxidant/Antimicrobial Activity from Bee Pollen

In this study, the botanical origin, total flavonoid and phenolic content, antioxidant activity, phenolic profile and fatty acid composition of mixed bee pollen loads collected in Bayburt, Turkey, were determined. In addition to these assays, antibacterial activity of bee-collected pollen extract (BCPE) against a variety of food-borne pathogenic bacteria was determined in vitro. Pollen loads were classified into five botanical families based on their color: Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Campanulaceae, Cistaceae and Rosaceae. Total flavonoid, total phenolic, CUPRAC and CERAC concentrations were 173.52 mg GAE/g, 79.21 mg QE/g, 85.59 mg Trolox/g and 118.13 mg Trolox/g, respectively. Twenty-three phenolic compounds were scanned in bee pollen extract by LC-MS/MS, with rutin being the most abundant. Cis-4,7,10,13,16,19 docosahexaenoic acid was the predominant fatty acid, followed by cis-11-eicosenoic acid, palmitic acid, and alfa linolenic acid. In addition, the agar well diffusion (AWD) and micro-broth dilution methods were used to determine of the antibacterial activity of the BCPE sample. MIC values were observed to vary between 2.5–5 mg/mL for Gram-positive bacteria and 5–10 mg/mL for Gram-negative bacteria. These findings indicate that bee pollen could be a potential source of antioxidants and antimicrobials.     

电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)法测定葡萄酒中的铜、镉、铅

建立了电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)法直接测定葡萄酒中铜、镉、铅含量的一种快速、灵敏、准确的定量方法。采用微波消解及直接进样技术比对,结果表明,以钪(Sc)、铟(In)、铽(Tb)为内标元素,消除基体干扰及仪器漂移。在选定的仪器条件下,直接进样,外标法定量,相对标准偏差小于3%,加标回收率在86.4%~100%,精密度和准确度都能满足测定要求,成功用于能力验证样品的测定,结果令人满意。     

常见茶叶中14种元素含量分析及重金属风险评价

采集传统名茶地标产品样品各3种为实验样品,通过ICP-OES和ICP-MS对样品进行K、Ca、Mg、Mn、B、Cu、Fe、Ni、Zn、Cr、Co、Cd、As、Pb等14种元素的含量测定.利用单因素方差分析、主成分分析、污染评价等方法,对茶叶无机元素含量进行分析和污染评价,并对污染来源进行了研究.结果表明,不同产地茶叶样...     

Elemental Analysis and Metal Intake of Romanian Vegetables

ABSTRACT

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry multielemental profiling was performed to determine eight elements in 54 vegetable samples. The range of concentrations of Fe and Ni was 1.91?±?0.09 to 443.31?±?22.32?mg/kg and 0.05?±?0.004 to 16.36?±?0.36?mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations of Pb and Cd were up to 1.56?±?0.04 and 0.78?±?0.04?mg/kg, respectively. Some samples exceeded the maximum admissible limits imposed by national and international regulations. The mean concentrations of Mn and Cu were between 20.93?±?0.43 and 13.98?±?0.30?mg/kg in tomatoes and 20.60?±?0.53 and 11.25?±?0.22?mg/kg in peppers. For the evaluation of health risk related to the consumption of vegetables, the daily intake rate, target hazard quotient (THQ), and hazard index were evaluated. The daily intakes were low and correspond to 2 to 14% of the tolerable daily values established by legislation. The results showed that the THQ and hazard index for the metals were lower than 1, indicating that the vegetable ingestion does not represent a significant risk for consumer health. Analysis of variance revealed that Zn may be used as a species-specific marker (p?=?0.026). Principal component analysis extracted three main components, explaining a total variance of 72.49% and grouped all determined elements.     

Geographical Discrimination of Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) from China by Characterization of the Stable Isotope Ratio and Multielemental Analysis

A total of 117 honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Thunb.) samples from four major regions of production in China, including Fengqiu in Henan, Pingyi in Shandong, Julu in Hebei, and Xiushan in Chongqing, were analyzed to determine their geographical origin. δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ¹⁸O values were determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), and the contents of 18 elements (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, K, Ca, Mg, Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Se, Sr, Ni, Co, B, and Mo) were measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multivariate statistical analysis by analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were performed. The results showed that there were very significant differences in the stable isotope ratios and elemental concentrations in honeysuckle based on geographical origin, with plants from each region having a unique fingerprint. Discriminant functions were established to distinguish the origin of honeysuckle using suitable indicators including Cd, Cr, As, Hg, Se, Co, Ni, Sr, Fe, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ¹⁸O. Cross-validated cases of 95.7% were correctly classified.     

Determination of Ascorbic Acid,Total Ascorbic Acid,and Dehydroascorbic Acid in Bee Pollen Using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography-Ultraviolet Detection

Ascorbic acid (AA) is one of the essential nutrients in bee pollen, however, it is unstable and likely to be oxidized. Generally, the oxidation form (dehydroascorbic acid (DHA)) is considered to have equivalent biological activity as the reduction form. Thus, determination of the total content of AA and DHA would be more accurate for the nutritional analysis of bee pollen. Here we present a simple, sensitive, and reliable method for the determination of AA, total ascorbic acids (TAA), and DHA in rape (Brassica campestris), lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), and camellia (Camellia japonica) bee pollen, which is based on ultrasonic extraction in metaphosphoric acid solution, and analysis using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-ultraviolet detection. Analytical performance of the method was evaluated and validated, then the proposed method was successfully applied in twenty-one bee pollen samples. Results indicated that contents of AA were in the range of 17.54 to 94.01 µg/g, 66.01 to 111.66 µg/g, and 90.04 to 313.02 µg/g for rape, lotus, and camellia bee pollen, respectively. In addition, percentages of DHA in TAA showed good intra-species consistency, with values of 13.7%, 16.5%, and 7.6% in rape, lotus, and camellia bee pollen, respectively. This is the first report on the discriminative determination between AA and DHA in bee pollen matrices. The proposed method would be valuable for the nutritional analysis of bee pollen.     

Multi-Elemental Analysis of Wine Samples in Relation to Their Type,Origin, and Grape Variety

Wine is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages. Therefore, the control of the elemental composition is necessary throughout the entire production process from the grapes to the final product. The content of some elements in wine is very important from the organoleptic and nutritional points of view. Nowadays, wine studies have also been undertaken in order to perform wine categorization and/or to verify the authenticity of products. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of the chosen factors (type of wine, producer, origin) on the levels of 28 elements in 180 wine samples. The concentration of studied elements was determined by ICP-MS (Ag, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Te, Tl, U, Zn), ICP-OES (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Ti), and CVAAS (Hg) techniques in 79 red, 75 white, and 26 rose wine samples. In general, red wines contained higher values of mean and median of B, Ba, Cr, Cu, Mn, Sr and Zn in contrast to other wine types (white and rose). In white wines (when compared to red and rose wines) higher levels of elements such as Ag, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Li, K and Ti were determined. In contrast, rose wines were characterized by a higher concentration of Fe and U. The study also revealed that in the case of 18 samples, the maximum levels of some metals (Cd—8 samples, Pb—9 samples, Cu—1 sample) were slightly exceeded according to the OIV standards, while for Zn and Ti in any wine sample the measured concentrations of these metals were above the permissible levels. Thus, it can be stated that the studied wines contained, in general, lower levels of heavy metals, suggesting that they should have no effect on the safety of consumption. The results also showed higher pH level for red wines as a consequence of the second fermentation process which is typically carried out for this type of wine (malolactic fermentation). The highest median value of pH was reported for Merlot-based wines, while the lowest was for Riesling. It is assumed that dry Riesling has a higher content of tartaric and malic acid than dry Chardonnay grown in the same climate. From all of the studied countries, wines from Poland seemed to present one of the most characteristic elemental fingerprints since for many elements relatively low levels were recorded. Moreover, this study revealed that also wine samples from USA and Australia can be potentially discriminated from the rest of studied wines. For USA the most characteristic metal for positive identification of the country of origin seems to be uranium, whereases for Australia – strontium and manganese. Based on the highly reduced set of samples, it was not possible to differentiate the studied wine products according to the grape variety other than Syrah, and partially Chardonnay. Since all the Syrah-based samples originated from the same country (Australia) thus, the observed grouping should be more related with the country of origin than the grape variety.     

The Profile of Polyphenolic Compounds,Contents of Total Phenolics and Flavonoids,and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Bee Products

This study aimed to characterize bee products (bee bread, bee pollen, beeswax, and multiflorous honey) with the profile of phenolic compounds, total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, and antioxidant and microbiological properties. The TP and TF contents could be ordered as follows: bee pollen > bee bread > beeswax > honey. The UPLC−PDA−MS/MS analysis allowed identifying 20 polyphenols. Sinapic acid dominated in bee pollen, gallic acid in the bee bread and honey, while pinobanksin was the major compound of beeswax. The data showed that bee pollen and bee bread had a stronger antioxidant potential than honey and beeswax. Moreover, the antibacterial activity of the bee products was studied using 14 bacterial strains. Bee bread’s and bee pollen’s antimicrobial activity was higher towards Gram-negative strains. In comparison, honey was more potent in inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria. Our study indicates that bee products may represent valuable sources of bioactive compounds offering functional properties.     

Characterization of heavy-metal-containing seepage water colloids by flow FFF, ultrafiltration, ELISA and AAS

Heavy-metal-containing humic colloids from seepage water samples of three different municipal waste disposal plants were characterized in terms of molecular weight, hydrodynamic radius and heavy metal content. The size distribution of the colloids was determined with ultrafiltration (UF) and flow field-flow fractionation (flow FFF). The humic colloids in the seepage water samples were characterized using an off-line coupling of flow FFF with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for humic substances. The heavy metals in the different size fractions obtained by UF and flow FFF were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The colloid size distributions obtained with UF showed a maximum of the distribution in the range 1–10 nm. Seepage water samples with high colloid concentrations had a second maximum in the range 0.1–1 m. The determination of colloid size with flow FFF gave different colloid size distributions for the three waste disposal seepage waters, whereas water from the oldest disposal plant showed the smallest colloid size with a maximum at 0.9 nm and water from the most recent plant showed the largest colloid size with a maximum at 1.3 nm. The determination of particle classes with regard to the chemical composition using a scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence detector (SEM/EDX) showed that the particles can be divided into five classes: silicates, insoluble salts, iron(hydr)oxides, carbonates and organic colloids (humic colloids). Flow FFF/ELISA off-line coupling showed that the most frequently occurring colloids of the seepage waters were humic colloids and investigation of the UF-size-fractions with AAS showed that up to 77% of the total mass of a heavy metal element can be bound to particles, especially to humic colloids. Additionally, the distributions of the heavy metals Fe, Cu and Zn were investigated with flow FFF/AAS off-line coupling. These results also showed that a substantial amount of these heavy metals (up to 46%) was bound to humic colloids.     

Propolis,Bee Honey,and Their Components Protect against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A Review of In Silico,In Vitro,and Clinical Studies

Despite the virulence and high fatality of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), no specific antiviral treatment exists until the current moment. Natural agents with immune-promoting potentials such as bee products are being explored as possible treatments. Bee honey and propolis are rich in bioactive compounds that express strong antimicrobial, bactericidal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. This review examined the literature for the anti-COVID-19 effects of bee honey and propolis, with the aim of optimizing the use of these handy products as prophylactic or adjuvant treatments for people infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Molecular simulations show that flavonoids in propolis and honey (e.g., rutin, naringin, caffeic acid phenyl ester, luteolin, and artepillin C) may inhibit viral spike fusion in host cells, viral-host interactions that trigger the cytokine storm, and viral replication. Similar to the potent antiviral drug remdesivir, rutin, propolis ethanolic extract, and propolis liposomes inhibited non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, and these compounds along with naringin inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 cells. Propolis extracts delivered by nanocarriers exhibit better antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 than ethanolic extracts. In line, hospitalized COVID-19 patients receiving green Brazilian propolis or a combination of honey and Nigella sativa exhibited earlier viral clearance, symptom recovery, discharge from the hospital as well as less mortality than counterparts receiving standard care alone. Thus, the use of bee products as an adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 may produce beneficial effects. Implications for treatment outcomes and issues to be considered in future studies are discussed.     

石柱黄连及根际土壤中矿质元素特征分析

研究石柱黄连不同器官及其根际土壤中矿质元素特征,探究黄连根茎矿质元素间及其与土壤环境的相关性。采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)、电感耦合等离子体发射光谱法(ICP-OES)及原子荧光光谱法(AFS)测定了15组石柱黄连植株和根际土壤中18种矿质元素含量,所得数据运用SPSS 22.0统计软件分析。石柱黄连根际土壤中锰、磷、镁、镉、汞等元素含量的变异性较大,部分采样点土壤中镉含量超过农用地土壤污染风险筛选值。在检测的18种元素中,黄连植株中钙、镁、磷、钾含量最高,其次是铁、锰、锌,再次是锶、铜、镍,最后是铅、钒、钴、镉、钼、铬、砷、汞。须根对大部分矿质元素的富集能力强于根茎或地上部;黄连根茎对锌的富集能力强于须根或地上部;地上部对钙、磷、钾、铬的富集能力强于须根或根茎。Spearman分析表明黄连根茎矿质元素间、黄连根茎与土壤中矿质元素有一定相关性,部分具有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。石柱黄连不同器官中矿质元素含量有明显差异,以此建立的指纹图谱可用于区分黄连根茎及须根的粉末样品;黄连根茎中矿质元素间主要表现为协同作用,黄连根茎与土壤中矿质元素既有协同作用又有拮抗作用。     

Characterization of Heavy Metal Air Pollution in Romania Using Moss Biomonitoring,Neutron Activation Analysis,and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

ABSTRACT

Heavy metal air pollution in Romania was investigated by using passive moss biomonitoring. This study is a component of an international UNECE ICP Vegetation Program – moss survey. A total of 330 samples of Hypnum cupressiforme, Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, and other mosses were collected in Romania in the summer and autumn of 2010. The concentrations of aluminum, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, nickel, vanadium, and zinc were determined by graphite furnace/flame atomic absorption spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis. The results were statistically processed to obtain spatial distribution maps of factor scores based on elemental concentrations in the moss, together with the spatial distribution maps of heavy metals in moss. The median concentrations of cadmium, 1.20?mg/kg dry weight, and lead, 30.8?mg/kg dry weight, were high compared with other European countries. The results revealed that the atmospheric deposition of these metals is a problem in north and northwest Romania.     

Determination of Arsenic in Honey,Propolis, Pollen,and Honey Bees by Microwave Digestion and Hydride Generation Flame Atomic Absorption

The toxic properties of arsenic are well known. Honey has been widely used for monitoring this element. The present work reports a novel method for the determination of arsenic in honey, bees, pollen, and propolis, based on the coupling of microwave digestion and hydride generation. Method development included the quantitative reduction of arsenic(V) to arsenic(III), the acid used for dilution, and the complete removal of the gases following digestion. The method performance was satisfactory with recoveries between 83% and 111% and corresponding relative standard deviations between 3.1% and 24%. Among the 32 samples of honey, propolis, pollen, and honey bees analyzed, arsenic was detected in four out of six propolis samples at the method limit of detection (0.4?µg?g^?1). The results indicate that propolis may be an efficient indicator for arsenic.