Bee Bread: A Promising Source of Bioactive Compounds with Antioxidant Properties—First Report on Some Antimicrobial Features
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie,
Angela Spoiala,
Elisabeta-Irina Geana,
Cristina Chircov,
Anton Ficai,
Lia-Mara Ditu,
Eliza Oprea
Affiliations
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Angela Spoiala
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Elisabeta-Irina Geana
National R&D Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies (ICIT), 240050 Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania
Cristina Chircov
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Anton Ficai
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Lia-Mara Ditu
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Research Institute, University of Bucharest, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
Eliza Oprea
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Research Institute, University of Bucharest, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
Bee bread has received attention due to its high nutritional value, especially its phenolic composition, which enhances life quality. The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical and antimicrobial properties of bee bread (BB) samples from Romania. Initially, the bee bread alcoholic extracts (BBEs) were obtained from BB collected and prepared by Apis mellifera carpatica bees. The chemical composition of the BBE was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and the total phenols and flavonoid contents were determined. Also, a UHPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis of phenolic compounds (PCs) and antioxidant activity were evaluated. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of BBEs was evaluated by qualitative and quantitative assessments. The BBs studied in this paper are provided from 31 families of plant species, with the total phenols content and total flavonoid content varying between 7.10 and 18.30 mg gallic acid equivalents/g BB and between 0.45 and 1.86 mg quercetin equivalents/g BB, respectively. Chromatographic analysis revealed these samples had a significant content of phenolic compounds, with flavonoids in much higher quantities than phenolic acids. All the BBEs presented antimicrobial activity against all clinical and standard pathogenic strains tested. Salmonella typhi, Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, and Candida kefyr strains were the most sensitive, while BBEs’ antifungal activity on C. krusei and C. kefyr was not investigated in any prior research. In addition, this study reports the BBEs’ inhibitory activity on microbial (bacterial and fungi) adhesion capacity to the inert substratum for the first time.
