Long-Chain Fatty Acids of Six Pollens Collected by Honeybees in Egypt

Abstract

SummaryThe lipid content and fatty acid composition of six species of bee-gathered pollens, representing five plant families, were investigated. Total lipid content ranged from 2·24% in citrus to 4·42% in Egyptian clover. Results of gas-liquid chromatography indicated that linoleic acid was the major fatty acid of citrus pollen and linolenic of flax pollen; broad bean pollen was high in both palmitic and linolenic acids; myristic acid accounted for about half the total fatty acid content of sunflower pollen; the major fatty acid constituents of wild mustard and Egyptian clover pollens were myristic and linolenic acids; arachidic acid, in minor amounts, occurred only in citrus, flax, and wild mustard pollens, and decanoic acid (in trace amounts only) in sunflower and wild mustard pollens. No odd-carbon fatty acids were found in any samples.