Volatilome and Nutraceutical Composition of Bee Pollen May Serve as Indicators of Seasonal and Botanical Origins

Bee pollen is an extraordinary nutritional product of honeybees. Its valuable profile depends on the concentration of bioactive compounds, influenced by multiple factors, such as geographical origin and botanical species. Pollen samples produced by a single farm and collected during four different seasonal periods were first subjected to palynological analysis and then evaluated for their volatile profile and the content of selected nutraceutical compounds. The June sample, characterized by a high percentage of Castanea pollen, exhibited the higher concentration of soluble sugars, proteins, antioxidant molecules and minerals. The heatmap and hierarchical clustering confirmed a pronounced seasonal variability in bee pollen volatile composition, strongly linked to changes in floral availability. The greatest dissimilar volatilomic fingerprints are represented by samples collected in November (monofloral pollen of Hedera helix) and April (polyfloral pollen). The seasonal variability on the bioactive compounds, as well as in aromatic composition, seem to be linked to the different compositions of plant pollen, related to its botanical origin. This study expands current knowledge on the chemical characterization of bee pollen and supports the use of volatilome analysis as a complementary tool to palynological investigation for assessing botanical origin, quality, and the ecological and sensory value of this bee product.