Methods of preserving bee pollen

Bee pollen is an important product of the hive with a chemical composition and biological properties which vary according to the production region age and botanical species of the plant from which the bee collects the pollen and agroecological conditions at the time of collection. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of preservation methods on the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of bee pollen preserved by freezing freeze-drying and oven-drying techniques at 35ºC 40ºC and 45ºC during 9 months of storage. Thus the contents of moisture ash protein fat sugars and total phenolic compounds were evaluated in addition to the antioxidant activity by the DPPH method and reducing power immediately after the application of each preservation technique after 1 3 6 and 9 months. In general considering the maintenance of the nutritional value of the pollen freeze-drying proved to be the most appropriate preservation technique having however a more evident negative impact on the content of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of the pollen when compared to the oven-drying technique at the highest temperature i.e. 45°C.