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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Methods for Comparing Nutrients in Beebread Made by Africanized and European Honey Bees and the Effects on Hemolymph Protein Titers
Published on: March 17, 2015
Preparation technologies, structural characteristics and biological activities of polysaccharides from bee pollen: A
Wangting Zhou1, Yuzhen He1, Ji-Min Lv2
1National R & D Center for Se-rich Agricultural Products Processing, School of Modern Industry for Selenium Science and Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, PR China.
Abstract:
Bee pollen, a natural honeybee product, is hailed as a treasure trove of human nutrition. Among the nourishing substances of bee pollen, the constituents with a low molecular weight (such as phenolic acids and flavonoid glycosides) have been extensively studied in the past decades, whereas the polysaccharides with a relatively high molecular weight have received much less attention. To deepen our understanding of bee pollen polysaccharides, this review summarizes the published findings related to their preparation technologies, structural characteristics and biological activities. Among the preparation technologies, ultrasonic-assisted extraction is currently the most effective technology for the recovery of polysaccharides from bee pollen, because ultrasound can crack the pollen exine into fragments and facilitate the release of polysaccharides present in the pollen intine. The preliminary structures, including the molecular weight and monosaccharide composition, of bee pollen polysaccharides have been widely reported, but their fine structures have not fully elucidated. Moreover, bee pollen polysaccharides have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and antitumor activities, exhibiting potential application in functional foods. Furthermore, bee pollen polysaccharides can modulate the composition of gut microbiota and promote the production of short-chain fatty acids. It is expected that this review can provide inspiration for the development and utilization of bee pollen polysaccharides.
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