Thursday, September 06, 2007

Study: Bee-Collected Pollen a Good Source of Minerals


Concentration of Selected Elements in Honeybee-Collected Pollen
Journal of Apicultural Science, Vol.51 No.1 2007

Summary: The objective of the study was to investigate the macro- and micro-nutrient composition of the multifloral pollen harvested in different countries (Poland, South Korea and China)…

Potassium followed by magnesium, sodium and calcium occur in the highest concentrations. Potassium accounted for as much as 59% of total assayed minerals, magnesium for 18%, sodium for 12%, calcium for 8% and the remaining elements jointly about 3%...

Pollen samples harvested in Poland, as compared to those from other countries, were characterized by a significantly higher content of calcium, samples from China had a significantly higher content of sodium, potassium and manganese and samples from South Korea were significantly higher in zinc and iron.

Of all the minerals under investigation manganese showed the highest variation. Pollen harvested by bees as pollen loads, due to its high content of minerals, can be used by man as a natural source of minerals.

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