Mineral content in monofloral bee pollen: investigation of the effect of the botanical and geographical origin

The object of this study was to determine bee pollen's minerals composition and evaluate the effect of the botanical and geographical origin. The results showed that the predominant elements were K, P and Ca, comprising 42.5%, 31.2% and 15.7%, respectively, of the total mineral content. The analysis of 30 monofloral pollen species showed the effect of botanical origin, recording a large range among the species with the most characteristic being P (1362-9210 mg/kg), K (2684-11604 mg/kg) and Ca (446-4464 mg/kg). Their highest concentrations were found in Phacelia tanacetifolia, Erica manipuliflora and Actinidia chinensis, respectively. Furthermore, to determine the effect of geographical origin (soil, climate), monofloral pollen samples of Sinapis arvensis and Cistus creticus collected from different regions were analysed. The highest ranges were observed in composition of S. arvensis and C. creticus pollen in K and Ca. The findings of this study prove that bee pollen is a notable source of minerals, facilitating the trade of the product promoting it as a beneficial natural food supplement.