Investigation of physicochemical and biological activities of honey, pollen and ppropolis samples collected from Rize Anzer plateau region

The aim of this study is to investigate the physicochemical and biological characteristics of bee products (honey, pollen, propolis) collected from the Anzer region in Ballıköy Plateau, İkizdere district of Rize, Turkey. This region is known for its ecosystem hosting 400-500 flower species, with 40-50 of them being endemic. A total of three honey, eight pollen, and one propolis samples were collected. The collected samples were evaluated for total phenolic and flavonoid contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, FRAP antioxidant activity test, GC/MS analysis, and mineral content analysis. Antibacterial and antifungal effects were assessed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion analysis, Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal/Fungicidal Concentration (MBC/MFC) analyses. Additionally, UV-Vis and FTIR analyses were conducted for enzyme inhibition analysis. Results indicated that among the honey samples, FMB03 exhibited the highest phenolic content, while FMB02 had the lowest. Flavonoid content was not detected in the tested honey samples. FMB03 also showed the highest antioxidant activity. Among the pollen samples, FMP08 had the highest phenolic content and antioxidant value, whereas FMP04 had the lowest. Among the eight pollen samples tested, FMB08 had the highest flavonoid content and antioxidant activity, whereas FMB01 had the lowest. The propolis sample FMPR1 had the highest phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant value compared to the other two types of samples. Antimicrobial analyses revealed differences between honey and pollen samples, indicating that honey exhibits greater antimicrobial effects compared to pollen. This observed difference may be attributed to variations in chemical compositions even among samples of the same type originating from different hives. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the properties and comparative analysis of bee products from the Anzer region, thereby enhancing knowledge of their potential health benefits and applications.