Protein content and amino acids composition of bee-pollens from major floral sources in Al-Ahsa, eastern Saudi Arabia

Protein content and amino acids composition of bee-pollens from major pollen floral sources in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia were determined to investigate the nutritive value of pollen protein relative to requirements of honeybees and adult humans. The major pollen sources were alfalfa, date palm, rape, summer squash, and sunflower. Bee-pollens from alfalfa and date palm showed high content of crude protein and amino acid concentrations. Bee-pollen from sunflower had low content of those components. Eighteen amino acids were found in bee-pollens from the five major floral sources. The highest concentrations of individual amino acids valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and proline were obtained from alfalfa bee-pollen; lysine, arginine, cysteine, tryptophan and tyrosine from date palm; methionine, histidine, glycine and alanine from summer squash; threonine, serine and glutamic acid from sunflower; and aspartic acid from rape bee-pollen. The amino acid composition obtained from sunflower bee-pollen showed the lowest concentrations of the essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine and valine. Apart from methionine, arginine and isoleucine, the essential amino acids of bee-pollen from alfalfa, date palm, summer squash and rape exceeded the honeybees’ requirements. Methionine was the limiting amino acid in bee-pollens from the five selected sources. Concentrations of essential amino acids in the tested bee-pollens were variable and significantly correlated to their botanical origin of pollen. Bee-pollens from alfalfa, date palm and summer squash was found to be rich source of protein and amino acids for bees and for humans.