Bee Collected Pollen with Enhanced Health Benefits, Produced by Fermentation with a Kombucha Consortium

Authors:
Elena Utoiu, Florentina Matei, Agnes Toma, Camelia Filofteia Diguta, Laura Mihaela Stefan, Sorin Manoiu, Virgil Valeriu Vrajmasu, Ionut Moraru, Anca Oancea, Florentina Israel-Roming, Caina Pet

Abstract:
The bioavailability of pollen bioactive compounds for humans is limited. In this study, our aim was to enhance the health-related benefits of pollen by fermentation with a Kombucha/SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts) consortium. We performed the fermentation of pollen suspended from the beginning with SCOBY on sweetened green tea or on Kombucha vinegar by adding pollen after 20 days of Kombucha fermentation. We analyzed: formation of bioactive compounds (anti-oxidant polyphenols, soluble silicon, hydroxy-acids, short-chain fatty acids-SCFA); parameters related to Kombucha fermentation (dynamics of lactic acid bacteria-LAB, formation of organic acids, soluble sugar evolution on Kombucha vinegar); the influence of Kombucha fermentation on pollen morphology and ultrastructure; in vitro cytotoxic and antitumoral effects of the Kombucha fermented pollen. The pollen addition increases LAB proportion in the total number of SCOBY microbial strains. SEM images highlight the adhesion of the SCOBY bacteria to pollen. Ultrastructural analysis reveals the release of the pollen content. The content of bioactive compounds (polyphenols, soluble silicon species, and SCFA) is higher in the fermented pollen and the product shows a moderate antitumoral effect on Caco-2 cells. The health benefits of pollen are enhanced by fermentation with a Kombucha consortium.

Keywords: cells, green tea, lactic acid, organic acids, ph, polyphenols



Country: Romania

Citation: Nutrients 10(10), 1365; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101365

Study Mailing Address:
Faculty of Biotechnologies, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest,
011464 Elena, Romania

Date Updated: February 23, 2021