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Pollen collected by the honeybee, glued with secretions from its glands and nectar in small grains of bright colours, is defined as pollen load.
In the bee family, nurse bees initially need pollen for food. They eat large amounts of protein-lipid feed providing for royal jelly production, the food for the queen and the larvae of worker bees during their first three days. Pollen is added into the brood ration on its second day. Later the part of pollen becomes increased. During one season a bee colony gathers 35-40 kg of pollen or up to 400 g in a day.
The bees that has just hatched also eat pollen as there is little amount of the nitrogen and they need protein and vitamin. House bees eat pollen for wax gland activity, drones for normal puberty and functioning.
Pollen load consists of coloured grains of between 1 and 3 mm. A grain may weigh 7 to 10 mg and mostly consists of nectar and honey. The colour of the pollen load depends on the plant it was collected from; bright yellow, orange, dark brown, light blue, violet, black or green of different shades. The flavour may vary from sweet to bitter.The odor may be characterized as floral honey or original one. The humidity of newly collected pollen is approximately 20%. Fresh pollen usually contains a lot of sugars and water and should be dried in a drying chamber or outdoors in the shade to avoid yeast and mycelial fungus.
Chemical composition of the pollen load varies; it largely depends on the plants visited by bees. Proteins, free amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, macro- and microelements, organic acids, phytohormones, pigments and the aromatic agents of pollen make up integral biologically active complexes.
Processed and preserved pollen supply is kept in a hive. A flying bee brings the pollen grains into the comb, then the young house bee powders and compresses collected pollen. Other bees add honey, nectar and the secretion of salivary glands into the 2/3 full comb. High humidity of this pollen load, 20–30%, and the temperature in a hive , between 33 and 35° C encourages the successful development of the present microorganisms, but anaerobic conditions and osmotic pressure prevent active breeding. At the same time Lactobacilla ferment carbohydrates which later become lactic acid as well as the suppression of putrefactive bacteria development. However, these bacilla don’t suppress yeast development. Yeast is a source of essential vitamins and amino acids. The fermented contents of a comb make it umber in colour and taste sour-sweet, much like rye bread. In autumn, the рН is reduced to 4.3 because of accumulated lactic acid that results in the death of microorganisms. This is typical of cerago or ambrosia generation.
Chemical compositions of cerago and pollen load are different. Due to added honey, cerago contains 2.5 more carbohydrates. Lipid content reduced is up to 1.5%, a little bit less protein and mineral substance. Cerago contains less vitamin C but more vitamin A, E, and B. Cerago is a product which is easily digested. Some researchers recommend cerago, commonly known as beebread, in all cases where pollen is prescribed, especially for better and faster result. Beebread or cerago is biologically more effective than pollen according to some of its characteristics.
Thus beebread and pollen has the following biological or pharmacological effects: anabolic, adaptogenic, antisclerotic, cardiotonic, membrane-stabilizing, radioprotectoring, antioxidant, antitoxic, antiinflammatory, peristalsis-regulating, immunopotentiating, regeneration-stimulating through wound healing, antiulceric, antianemic, erythro- and leucopoiesis. Therapeutic properties of pollen and cerago have one more advantage. They practically do not cause allergy in humans, since the enzymes from the saliva of bees destroy pollen allergens.
Pollen and bee bread
Pollen collected by the honeybee, glued with secretions from its glands and nectar in small grains of bright colours, is defined as pollen load.
In the bee family, nurse bees initially need pollen for food. They eat large amounts of protein-lipid feed providing for royal jelly production, the food for the queen and the larvae of worker bees during their first three days. Pollen is added into the brood ration on its second day. Later the part of pollen becomes increased. During one season a bee colony gathers 35-40 kg of pollen or up to 400 g in a day.
The bees that has just hatched also eat pollen as there is little amount of the nitrogen and they need protein and vitamin. House bees eat pollen for wax gland activity, drones for normal puberty and functioning.
Pollen load consists of coloured grains of between 1 and 3 mm. A grain may weigh 7 to 10 mg and mostly consists of nectar and honey. The colour of the pollen load depends on the plant it was collected from; bright yellow, orange, dark brown, light blue, violet, black or green of different shades. The flavour may vary from sweet to bitter.The odor may be characterized as floral honey or original one. The humidity of newly collected pollen is approximately 20%. Fresh pollen usually contains a lot of sugars and water and should be dried in a drying chamber or outdoors in the shade to avoid yeast and mycelial fungus.
Chemical composition of the pollen load varies; it largely depends on the plants visited by bees. Proteins, free amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, macro- and microelements, organic acids, phytohormones, pigments and the aromatic agents of pollen make up integral biologically active complexes.
Processed and preserved pollen supply is kept in a hive. A flying bee brings the pollen grains into the comb, then the young house bee powders and compresses collected pollen. Other bees add honey, nectar and the secretion of salivary glands into the 2/3 full comb. High humidity of this pollen load, 20–30%, and the temperature in a hive , between 33 and 35° C encourages the successful development of the present microorganisms, but anaerobic conditions and osmotic pressure prevent active breeding. At the same time Lactobacilla ferment carbohydrates which later become lactic acid as well as the suppression of putrefactive bacteria development. However, these bacilla don’t suppress yeast development. Yeast is a source of essential vitamins and amino acids. The fermented contents of a comb make it umber in colour and taste sour-sweet, much like rye bread. In autumn, the рН is reduced to 4.3 because of accumulated lactic acid that results in the death of microorganisms. This is typical of cerago or ambrosia generation.
Chemical compositions of cerago and pollen load are different. Due to added honey, cerago contains 2.5 more carbohydrates. Lipid content reduced is up to 1.5%, a little bit less protein and mineral substance. Cerago contains less vitamin C but more vitamin A, E, and B. Cerago is a product which is easily digested. Some researchers recommend cerago, commonly known as beebread, in all cases where pollen is prescribed, especially for better and faster result. Beebread or cerago is biologically more effective than pollen according to some of its characteristics.
Thus beebread and pollen has the following biological or pharmacological effects: anabolic, adaptogenic, antisclerotic, cardiotonic, membrane-stabilizing, radioprotectoring, antioxidant, antitoxic, antiinflammatory, peristalsis-regulating, immunopotentiating, regeneration-stimulating through wound healing, antiulceric, antianemic, erythro- and leucopoiesis. Therapeutic properties of pollen and cerago have one more advantage. They practically do not cause allergy in humans, since the enzymes from the saliva of bees destroy pollen allergens.
