Chemical Fingerprinting for Authentication and Compositional Characterization of Cocos nucifera Bee Pollen

Abstract

Abstract Bee pollen produced by Apis mellifera is formed by the agglutination of floral pollen grains with nectar and bee secretions. Monofloral or dominant bee pollen generally exhibits a more consistent chemical composition and quality. In this study, coconut (Cocos nucifera) bee pollen samples collected monthly for 13 months in Maraú, Bahia, Brazil were comprehensively characterized. Palynological analysis confirmed the predominance of coconut pollen throughout the sampling period. Physicochemical parameters met Brazilian quality standards for bee pollen. Chemical profiling included the determination of sugars, free amino acids, and minerals, revealing glucose and fructose as the main sugars and potassium, calcium, and magnesium as the predominant minerals. The major flavonoid, identified as a characteristic marker, was isolated and structurally characterized as isorhamnetin-3-O-neohesperidoside, also detected in C. nucifera floral pollen. Multivariate (PCA) and univariate (ANOVA) analyses indicated limited compositional variability, mainly associated with seasonal and environmental factors influencing the pollen collection.