Preparation and functional properties of extracts from bee bread

Three extracts, namely hot-water fraction (HWF), water-soluble fraction (WSF), and ethanol-soluble fraction (ESF), were prepared from fresh bee bread imported from Lithuania. The protein and total phenolic contents of these samples were very high. Among them, WSF at 100% concentration showed the highest antioxidative ability and scavenging ability. On the other hand, ESF at 10% concentration possessed the highest ability against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radicals. Bee bread will apply more and more as health food and medicine due to its functional properties such as antioxidative ability and scavenging activities of reactive oxygen species.