Antimicrobial activity of bee pollen : influence of botanical origin and processing

Lukman, Tajda (avtor), Smole Možina, Sonja (avtor)

Bee pollen is a nutrient-rich bee product and natural food supplement that contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, offering antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunestimulatory, and antimicrobial activity. Numerous studies have confirmed the in vitro antimicrobial activity of both polyfloral and monofloral bee pollen. Monofloral bee pollen exhibits a more stable chemical composition and more consistent sensory and biochemical properties, making it more suitable for various applications. This has led to a growing number of studies investigating its antimicrobial potential. Antimicrobial activity of bee pollen is influenced by natural factors such as the botanical and geographical *Corresponding author: Phone:[phone] E-mail:[e-mail] Food Technology and Biotechnology 64 (1) 2026 www.ftb.com.hr Please note that this is an unedited version of the manuscript that has been accepted for publication. This version will undergo copyediting and typesetting before its final form for publication. We are providing this version as a service to our readers. The published version will differ from this one as a result of linguistic and technical corrections and layout editing. origin, seasonal variation, and beekeeping practices. The outcomes of in vitro testing also depend on choices related to extract preparation, solvent type, microbial strains, and the method employed to measure antimicrobial activity. Another challenge is the limited bioavailability of bioactive compounds, restricted by the degradation-resistant outer layer of bee pollen, named the exine. The wall can be partially disrupted through processing methods that break it and enhance its nutritional and functional properties. This review provides a comprehensive overview of published studies on the antimicrobial activity of monofloral bee pollen. It summarizes the most frequently investigated botanical species and bacterial strains, highlighting those with the most promising antimicrobial results. Additionally, it examines the processing methods of pollen, comparing their effectiveness and the changes in antimicrobial activity before and after processing. The review identifies the plant species, solvents, and methods that yield strong antimicrobial activity, emphasizing their potential in the broader effort to standardize high quality parameters for bee pollen.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: botanical origin, antimicrobial activity, exine, processing methods, bioavailability of active compounds, quality standardization of bee pollen
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.02 - Pregledni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: BF - Biotehniška fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: Str. 67-80
• Številčenje: Vol. 64, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-182964
• UDK: 638.178.2:579.67
• ISSN pri članku: 1330-9862
• DOI: 10.17113/ftb.64.01.26.9421
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265043971
• Datum objave v RUL: 29.05.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Food technology and biotechnology : journal of the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology University of Zagreb
• Skrajšan naslov: Food technol. biotechnol.
• Založnik: Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology
• ISSN: 1330-9862
• COBISS.SI-ID: 40116737

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: cvetni prah osmukanec, botanično poreklo, protimikrobna aktivnost, biološka aktivnost

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P4-0116-2022
• Naslov: Mikrobiologija in biotehnologija živil in okolja