Enhancing Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities in Bee-Collected Pollen through Solid-State Fermentation: A Comparative Analysis of Bioactive Compounds
Adriana Cristina Urcan,
Adriana Dalila Criste,
Daniel Severus Dezmirean,
Otilia Bobiș,
Victorița Bonta,
Ramona Flavia Burtescu,
Neli-Kinga Olah,
Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan,
Rodica Mărgăoan
Affiliations
Adriana Cristina Urcan
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adriana Dalila Criste
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Daniel Severus Dezmirean
Department of Beekeeping and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Otilia Bobiș
Department of Beekeeping and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Victorița Bonta
Department of Beekeeping and Sericulture, Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnologies, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Ramona Flavia Burtescu
PlantExtrakt Ltd., Rădaia, 407059 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Neli-Kinga Olah
PlantExtrakt Ltd., Rădaia, 407059 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Mihaiela Cornea-Cipcigan
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Horticulture and Business in Rural Development, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Rodica Mărgăoan
Department of Animal Production and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The present study investigates the impact of solid-state fermentation on bee-collected pollen using a consortium of Lactobacillus plantarum, Apilactobacillus kunkeei, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Another aim is to compare the nutritional and bioactive properties of natural versus fermented pollen, focusing on macronutrient composition, pH, acidity, lactic acid content, and profiles of polyphenolics and flavonoids. Our results indicated significant enhancements in the contents of amino acids, suggesting improved protein content, alongside increases in polyphenolic and flavonoid contents post-fermentation. According to the heat mapping and cluster analysis, increased antioxidant and antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, particularly E. coli, were observed in the fermented bee-collected pollen samples, which may have been due to the accumulation of phenolic compounds (e.g., ellagic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, and quercetin-3-O-rutinoside). Furthermore, significant positive correlations of the fermented bee-collected pollen samples with non-essential amino acids were recorded compared with the unfermented bee-collected pollen samples, which may have been due to the fermentation process and the conversion of proteins into free amino acids via proteolysis. Future research could explore the underlying mechanisms, the scalability of fermentation, its application in functional foods, and the health benefits of fermented bee-collected pollen in human diets.