NUTRITION BIOLOGICAL VALUE AND SAFETY OF POLLEN AS A FACTOR IN FOOD SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION
Synopsis
In the context of global challenges of food security, climate change, and the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, natural products with high biological value are gaining increasing importance. Bee pollen, in this sense, emerges not only as a traditional beekeeping product but also as a promising element in the transformation of modern food systems oriented toward human health, sustainability, and responsible use of biological resources.
The biological value of pollen is determined by its unique and multi-component composition. It contains complete proteins with essential amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, dietary fibers, vitamins, mineral elements, enzymes, and a wide range of biologically active compounds. Thanks to this, pollen is considered a natural functional ingredient capable of supporting immunity, normalizing metabolism, providing antioxidant protection, and enhancing the adaptive capacity of the body. In the human diet, it can serve as a concentrated source of micronutrients, especially under conditions of deficient or unbalanced nutrition.
