Biotechnological Transformation of Tropical Bee Pollen Through Enzymatic and Bacterial Processes: Impact on Composition and Antioxidant Activity

This study evaluated the effects of bacterial fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, CHOOZIT®, and YO-MIX®) and enzymatic hydrolysis (Protamex® and Neutrase® at 1% w/w and 5% w/w) on the proximate composition and antioxidant activity of bee pollen from the Colombian tropical dry forest. Both treatments significantly modified the nutritional profile, increasing moisture content (48–71% fermented; 50–68% hydrolyzed) while reducing protein and carbohydrate fractions. Fermentation produced strain-dependent antioxidant effects: L. plantarum maximized ABTS scavenging, while YO-MIX® 1:1 achieved the highest DPPH activity. Enzymatic hydrolysis demonstrated superior and more consistent improvements across all assays: Neutrase® 1% achieved 8.5-fold ABTS enhancement, while Protamex® 1% maximized DPPH scavenging (8-fold). All enzymatic treatments increased total phenolic content by 70–84%. Protamex® 1% emerged as the optimal treatment, achieving the highest DPPH activity (2689 µM Trolox equivalents/g pollen), substantial antioxidant enhancement across all assays, and preserved nutritional stability (201 kcal/100 g). These findings support the use of mild enzymatic hydrolysis for valorizing Colombian tropical bee pollen as a functional food ingredient with enhanced bioavailability.