Phytochemical profile and the dietary effects of bee pollen and beebread on the western honey bee, Apis mellifera

Pollen is a dietary protein source enriched with phytochemicals to the western honey bees. Honey bee workers may modify the physicochemical properties, enzymes, and the microbiome by blending the pollen with nectars and their saliva during the collection of pollen and the in-hive processes while making the pollen into the beebread. To investigate the significance of beebread processing in a bee colony, we compare the phytochemical profile and the dietary effects of the bee pollen and beebread collected during the same floral blooming period. The chemical profile is analyzed using HPLC and GC/MS, and the dietary effects are evaluated by comparing the performances of the in vitro reared adult honey bee workers with the different diets.