Volatile profile of bee bread

Abstract

Bee bread is one of the least studied bee products. In this study, ten bee bread samples were characterized using palynology and HS-SPME-GC-MS (headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). In total, over one hundred different volatile components were identified, belonging to different chemical groups. Only ten common components were detected in all the samples. These volatiles were ethanol, ethylene chloride, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, α-pinene, furfural, nonane, nonanal, n-hexane and isovaleric acid. Several other components were commonly shared among various bee bread samples. Over sixty detected compounds have not been previously reported in bee bread. The analysis required a mild extraction temperature of 40 °C, as higher temperatures resulted in the Maillard reaction, leading to the production of furfural. The profile of volatile compounds of the tested bee pollen samples was complex and varied. Some relationships have been shown between botanical origin and volatile organic compound profile.