Bee pollen is a valuable apitherapeutic product and has been known to have diverse biological activities, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and even anticancer activity. However, its effect on the immune system is not well studied and is rather controversial. This study intended to elucidate the biological activity of bee pollen on immunity. For this purpose, we used lyophilized bee pollen after wet grinding, which shows increased extraction of bioactive components and enhanced biological activity. First, lyophilized bee pollen after wet grinding significantly increased the proliferation of splenocytes isolated from normal mice. On the other hand, lyophilized bee pollen after wet grinding dose-dependently reversed splenocyte proliferation by concanavalin A or lipopolysaccharide. To clarify the activity of bee pollen on immunity lyophilized bee pollen after wet grinding was administered daily to mice for five weeks and isolated splenocytes. In this study, there was no significant difference in the population of immune cells and the size of spleen between bee pollen- and sterile water-treated groups. However, proliferation of splenocyte isolated from bee pollen-administered animals was boosted by both concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide. Finally, kaempferol, a well-known flavonoid from bee pollen, dose-dependently increased splenocyte proliferation by both Con A and LPS. On the other hand, naringenin, another flavonoid in the bee pollen, dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of splenocytes by Con A and LPS. Together, these data indicate that bee pollen may be able to prime the immunity to boost immune reaction after inflammation.

The foraging behavior of honey bees can be attributed to the nutritional incentives they gain from their activities. Nevertheless, a persistent question has revolved around how the nutritional composition undergoes alterations during the process of converting pollen into bee bread. We embarked on a comprehensive investigation of nutritional shifts, spanning from fresh pollen to bee-pollen, pollen patties, and bee bread. Our research findings unveiled that pollen exhibited notably higher levels of individual amino acids, resulting in significantly elevated overall amino acid content compared to bee-collected pollen. While we provided pollen patty to the honey bee colony, initially, during the first 3 to 7 days, there were no substantial discrepancies in the total amino acid content between bee bread and the pollen patty. Intriguingly, unlike most amino acids, we detected a distinct pattern of higher proline content in bee bread compared to bee-pollen or the pollen patty. This shift in amino acid composition likely stems from the incorporation of nectar and other secretions during the bee bread-making process. Moreover, over a span of approximately 14 days within hive conditions, the amino acid content in bee bread increased. Conversely, in terms of fatty acid contents, they were found to be lower in bee bread than those in the pollen patty, with no significant temporal differences observed. Regarding mineral content, bee bread, in general, contained fewer minerals than bee pollen and pollen patties. In conclusion, the transformation of pollen into bee bread involves dynamic alterations in nutrient contents, influenced by both intrinsic bee-related factors and external factors within the hive environment.

To analyze the pesticide residues in commercial bee pollen products in South Korea, 61 samples were collected and screened for 339 pesticides. Results revealed that approximately 34% (>LOQ) of samples were contaminated with at least one pesticide. The pesticide residue detection rates of domestic and imported samples were 31% and 44%, respectively. Furthermore, the pesticide residue detection rate of online distribution (60%) was higher than that of offline distribution (27%). Fifteen pesticides were discovered in bee pollen, and pendimethalin, chlorfenvinphos, chlorpyrifos, and fluazinam were detected in 7, 6, 3, and 2 order of frequency, respectively. Even though its concentration was low, chlorfenvinphos which is banned in food crops in the United States, European Union, and Korea, was detected in bee pollen samples commonly. Therefore, continuous investigation of pesticide residues in bee pollen products and their acceptance criteria is required for safety.

This study investigated on the chemical components, quality characteristics, antioxidant compounds, and activity of maize hybrids according to the cultivar, and breeding maize seeds crossed with seed and pollen parent. The moisture, crude fat, crude ash, crude protein, carbohydrate, and amylose contents of maize hybrids were significantly different among cultivars, and seeded and pollinated maize. The L-, a- and b-value of maize hybrids were 39.81~47.21, －0.01~0.55 and 5.85~18.47, respectively. Water binding capacity, water solubility index and swelling power were 123.29~153.32, 4.69~5.76 and 20.11~21.47%, respectively. The phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity of maize hybrids were significantly different among cultivars, and seeded and pollinated maize. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of maize hybrids were 1,335.41~1,876.29 μg/g and 184.24~453.95 μg CE/g, respectively. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were 171.75~239.16 and 299.44~364.09 mg TE/100 g, respectively. As a result, it could be used as a basic data for cultivating phenol compounds and antioxidant activity in maize breeding.

본 연구는 농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원 채소과에서 육성 중인 고추 34계통과 세계채소센터 육성 계통과 자원 12점 등 총 46점의 고추를 공시하여, 종자의 발아율, 수량 및 상품과율, 그리고 화분발아율을 조사하여 내서성이 강한 고추 자원을 선발하기 위하여 수행되었다. 1. 종자발아율 비교에서 여름종자는 가을종자 대비 상대적인 피해율은 4.3~100% 범위였고, H42(1.6%), H16(5.0%), H14(6.3%), H02(12.4%), H44(13.7%), H12(15.9%), H03 (17.6%), H17(23.4%) 순으로 대조 계통인 H37(26.2%)에 비해 피해율이 낮았다. 2. 고추 과실의 수량은 34.4~446.5g, 총 과실수는 2.0~134.3 개를 나타냈다. 상품과 비율에 있어서 75% 이상은 H22(95.0%), H16(89.1%), H37(88.4%), H40(86.4%), H6 (86.0), H27(83.7%), H04(83.6%), H03(82.6%), H08(81.1%), H44(81.4%), H02(80.0%), H45(79.1%), H17(78.7%), H19 (77.7%), H34(77.0%), H15(76.9%), H42(76.3%) 순으로 나타 났다. 3. 고온 처리에 의한 화분발아율의 피해율은 H06(59.5%), H14(74.4%), H44(85.3%), H03(90.2%)가 대조구인 H37 (94.7%)과 나머지 다른 고추에 비해 상대적으로 낮았다. 이상의 결과, 가을종자 대비 여름종자 종자발아율의 피해율, 수량 및 상품과율, 그리고 고온 처리에 의한 화분발아율 등을 고려하여, H03, H04, H06, H14, H17, H22, H44, H45 계 통을 내서성이 높은 자원으로 선발하였다.

여주는 열대와 아열대 지역에서 재배되는 1년생 박과 채소로 혈당조절 등의 기능성이 알려지면서 재배면적이 증가하고 있다. 그러나 여주는 자웅동주이화 식물로 인공수분이 필요하고 온도나 일장에 민감하게 반응하는 개화특성 때문에 안정적인 수량 확보가 어려운 경향이 있다. 평균적으로 암꽃과 수꽃의 착생 비율은 1:25 정도이나 생육 초기 단일조건에서는 암꽃 발생이 많아 인공수분이 어렵다. 이 연구는 암꽃 비율이 높아지는 시기에 환경 조건과 관계없이 화분을 안정적으로 공급하고자 화분 활력 및 저장성 검정에 관한 연구를 수행하였다. 화분을 채취하여 상온(25℃), 냉장(4℃), 냉동(-20℃), 초저온냉동(-70℃)조건에서 180일간 저장하여 발아율을 조사한 결과, 상온에서는 저장 3일 경과 후 급격히 감소하였고 초저온냉동저장(-70℃)에서 발아율이 30%로 가장 높게 나타났다. 또한, 화분의 활력도 발아율과 같이 저장온도가 낮을수록 높은 경향을 보였으며, 초저온냉동저장(-70℃) 화분은 69%로 개화당일 화분의 74%와 유사한 수준이었다. 저장온도를 달리하여 저장한 화분으로 인공수분한 결과 결실률도 저장온도가 낮을수록 높게 나타났고, 상품과 평균과중은 처리 간에 큰 차이는 없었다. 이는 저장온도가 화분의 생존율과 결실률에 영향을 미치는 것으로 판단되어 여주의 안정적인 수량 확보를 위해서는 효과적인 화분 공급 체계가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

본 연구는 키위 ‘Halla Gold’, ‘Sweet Gold’ 및 ‘Enza Gold’ 품종에서 꽃가루 품종 및 희석 비율이 과실 품질 및 종자 형성에 미치는 영향을 분석하고자 수행되었다. 1. 화분관은 인공수분 2일 또는 3일 후에 밑씨에 도달하였는데, 그 양상은 꽃가루 품종과 희석 비율에 따라 차이가 있 었다. 화분관 신장은 ‘Halla Gold’와 ‘Sweet Gold’에는 ‘Bohwa’가 ‘Enza Gold’에는 ‘Chieftian’이 좋았으나 ‘Enza Gold’에서는 반대의 경향이었다. 중국산 꽃가루 희석 비율에 따른 화분관 신장은 20배 희석에서 다소 낮은 경향이었다. 2. ‘Hall Gold’, ‘Sweet Gold’ 및 ‘Enza Gold’에서 과중과 건물 률은 ‘Bohwa’로 수분했을 때 높은 경향을 보였다. 종자 수에 있어서 ‘Halla Gold’와 ‘Sweet Gold’에서는 과중과 건물률과 유사한 경향이었으나, ‘Enaza Gold’에서는 반대의 경향을 나타냈다. 3. ‘Enza Gold’에서 중국산 수입 꽃가루 희석비율에 따른 과중 및 건물률은 1~10배에서는 큰 차이가 없이 높은 편이나 20배에서는 가장 낮은 경향이었다. 종자 수 및 100립 중도 유사한 경향이었다.

In this study, we investigated the nutritional composition including proximate, amino acid, vitamin, minerals, and the antioxidant activity of green tea (Camellia sinensis) pollen grains collected by Apis mellifera bees, for use as a health food. The crude protein and fat content was estimated at 26.14% and 3.49%, respectively. Eighteen amino acids were identified in green tea pollen, including 8 essential amino acids and 10 non-essential amino acids. The predominant amino acids were glutamic acid, proline and aspartic acid accounting for about 33.3% of total free amino acids. The concentration of vitamin C was the highest value of 35.7%, followed by B3 and B2 among the detected vitamins. The predominant minerals were potassium (790.32 mg/100g), followed by phosphorus (707.52 mg/100g) and sulfur (302.67 mg/100g), whereas copper, zinc and sodium were detected as minor elements. The antioxidant activity and phenolic content accounted for 33.8% at 500 μg/mL extract and 2.55 μg/mg, respectively.

Honey production from approximately 1.7 million colonies owned by around 21 thousand beekeepers was almost 36 thousand M/T in Korea. Pollen has used as a food and medicine from before the Joseon Dynasty period in Korea. Pollen grains such as acorn (Quercus acutissima), actinidia (Actinidia arguta) and green tea (Camellia sinensis) are popular in the markets in Korea. But stiff pollen wall hindered dissolution of polysaccharides and lowered extraction efficiency. In the present study, we measured the antioxidant activity and the total polyphenol content from the pulverized and lyophilized green tea pollen grains inoculated with 6 kinds of fungi to confirm the husk removal effect. The total polyphenol content of green tea pollens was highest in lyophilized pollen medium inoculated with Armillaria mellea, and was lowest in pollen inoculated with Lentinula edodes. Total polyphenol content of the lyophilized pollen was higher than that of the refined pollen and the pulverized pollen in green tea pollen germinated with A. mellea. The total polyphenol content of the lyophilized green tea pollens germinated with A. mellea was 1.4-fold higher than that extracted with water. Measurement of antioxidant activity using the DPPH free radical scavenging method showed that the lyophilized green tea pollen grains germinated with A. mellea had the highest and that germinated with L. edodes was lowest in antioxidant activities. The lyophilized green tea pollen grains germinated with A. mellea was 2 to 4 times higher than that extracted with water in the antioxidant activity of DPPH free radical scavenging. Many germinated cells were formed around pore of green tea pollen inoculated with L. edodes, while those were formed at the end of hyphae derived from green tea pollen grains inoculated with A. mellea.

Bee pollen have been used for centuries as a kind of traditional medicine and food diets additive due to their nutritional and biological properties. The present study was to evaluate the biological features of ethanol extracts of 18 different bee pollen (EEBP) samples collected from 16 locations of South Korea. Our results indicated most of the EEBP samples showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, inhibitory activities against human β-amyloid precursor cleavage enzyme (BACE-1), and antiproliferative activities towards five cancer cell lines. However, these EEBP samples did not present human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities, and intestinal bacteria growth inhibitory activities.