Journal article

Authors list: Morlock, Gertrud E.; Yang, Fang

Publication year: 2025

Pages: 93-104

Journal: Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Related Technologies

Volume number: 48

Issue number: 6-10

ISSN: 1082-6076

eISSN: 1520-572X

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/10826076.2023.2284708

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group

Abstract: 
Natural bee products are increasingly used in cosmetics, health products, and food supplements. Bee pollen and propolis are quite different products, although the processing by the bees is for the most part very similar. Hence, the bioactive compound profiles of five different bee pollen products on the market were studied in comparison to 13 propolis products using high-performance thin-layer chromatography combined with six different effect-directed planar assays. The developed non-target profiling detected bioactive compounds active according to diverse metabolic mechanisms in both bee products. However, the bioactivity of propolis samples across all assays was substantially higher than that of bee pollen. Bioactive compound zones of interest were further characterized by online elution to high-resolution mass spectrometry. Because specific hazards are known for bee products, non-target profiling has the advantage of being able to detect also bioactive contaminants or residues. Such profiling of natural bee products is highly informative and more proactive regarding quality control, food safety, and consumer protection compared to status quo methods.

Harvard Citation style: Morlock, G. and Yang, F. (2025) Effect-directed profiling of bee pollen versus propolis, Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Related Technologies, 48(6-10), pp. 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826076.2023.2284708

APA Citation style: Morlock, G., & Yang, F. (2025). Effect-directed profiling of bee pollen versus propolis. Journal of Liquid Chromatography and Related Technologies. 48(6-10), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826076.2023.2284708