{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T07:28:32Z","timestamp":1786519712751,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]],"date-time":"2021-02-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1614124800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Country Garden Pacificview","award":["6300812"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["6300812"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Currently, bee-gathered pollen (bee pollen) is commonly used worldwide as a dietary supplement and is recognized for its curative properties. Floral pollen is also important but is less recognized due to a lack of investigation. This study aims to determine the morphological characteristics and nutritional and phytochemical properties of floral maize pollen. Fresh pollen grains harvested from a farm of maize plants are yellow in colour and spheroid in shape. They change to amber and indented prismatic solid shapes when dehydrated. The main composition of floral maize pollen is carbohydrates (44.30\u00b13.73%), followed by moisture (23.38\u00b15.73%), crude proteins (17.16\u00b13.13%), crude fibres (9.56\u00b10.92%), and ash (4.98\u00b10.11%), while the lowest content is observed for crude fats (0.62\u00b10.06%). The predominant mineral is potassium (768.50\u00b111.40 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>), followed by sodium (695.10\u00b19.70 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>), calcium (147.20\u00b112.60 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>), and magnesium (97.30\u00b12.9 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>). The microelements (with average values) consist of iron (49.50\u00b13.30 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>) and zinc (30.00\u00b13.70 mg 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>). Excellent phytochemical properties add value to floral maize pollen. Maize pollen contains a high total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of 783.02 mg GAE 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup> and 1706.83 mg QE 100 g<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>, respectively, and possesses strong antioxidant activity of 10.54 mg mL<jats:sup>-1<\/jats:sup>. Maize floral pollen and derived products can serve as future food resources for human consumption and as a source of functional and bioactive compounds in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0247327","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]],"date-time":"2021-02-24T18:32:03Z","timestamp":1614191523000},"page":"e0247327","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Chemical constituents and phytochemical properties of floral maize pollen"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Japar Sidik","family":"Bujang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9077-367X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Muta Harah","family":"Zakaria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shiamala Devi","family":"Ramaiya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"264","DOI":"10.1590\/S0101-20612011000100040","article-title":"Corn germ with pericarp in relation to whole corn: nutrient contents, food and protein efficiency, and protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score","volume":"31","author":"MMV Naves","year":"2011","journal-title":"Food Sci Tech"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105","DOI":"10.1111\/nyas.12396","article-title":"Global maize production, utilization, and consumption","volume":"1312","author":"P Ranum","year":"2014","journal-title":"Annals of The New York Academy of Sci"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jfca.2012.11.004","article-title":"Dried bee pollen: B complex vitamins, physicochemical and botanical composition","volume":"29","author":"VAS de Arruda","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Food Compos Anal"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0247327.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21732","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules201219800","article-title":"Polyphenols from bee pollen: structure, absorption, metabolism and biological activity","volume":"20","author":"A Rzepecka-Stojko","year":"2015","journal-title":"Molecules"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0247327.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1745-4557.2012.00460.x","article-title":"The antioxidant activity of Chilean honey and bee pollen produced in the Llaima Volcano\u2019s zones","volume":"35","author":"E Mej\u00edas","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Food Qual"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref006","first-page":"6","article-title":"Antioxidant properties of pollen","volume":"3","author":"D Alicic","year":"2014","journal-title":"Hrana U Zdravlju I Bolesti"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1603\/0046-225X-32.1.141","article-title":"Assessment of corn pollen as a food source for two tephritid fruit fly species","volume":"32","author":"GT McQuate","year":"2003","journal-title":"Environ Entomol"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1177\/108201320100700208","article-title":"Note: pollen analysis and antibacterial activity of Spanich honeys","volume":"7","author":"M Garcia","year":"2001","journal-title":"Food Sci Technol Int"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0247327.ref009","first-page":"248","article-title":"Phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of Tuscan bee pollen of different botanic origins","volume":"27","author":"M Gabriele","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ital J Food Sci"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref010","first-page":"21","article-title":"Comparative study of propolis and saline application on human dentin: A SEM study","volume":"12","author":"K Almas","year":"2001","journal-title":"Indian J Den Res"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0247327.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"365","DOI":"10.1590\/S1517-83822002000400018","article-title":"Propolis antimicrobial activity against periodontopathic bacteria","volume":"33","author":"EC Gebara","year":"2002","journal-title":"Braz J Microbiol"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref012","article-title":"Antioxidant potential of propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly: Possible medical application","author":"J Kocot","year":"2018","journal-title":"Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.2478\/jas-2019-0004","article-title":"Determination of antioxidant activity, phenolic compound, mineral contents and fatty acid compositions of bee pollen grains collected from different locations","volume":"63","author":"MM Ozcan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Apicultural Science"},{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0247327.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1001","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox9101001","article-title":"Antioxidant, nutraceutical properties, and fluorescence spectral profiles of bee pollen samples from different botanical origins","volume":"9","author":"D Barbieri","year":"2020","journal-title":"Antioxidants"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0247327.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"824","DOI":"10.1111\/1750-3841.15047","article-title":"Chemical and cytological evaluation of honeybee pollen antioxidant ability","volume":"85","author":"Y Yang","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Food Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.3390\/biom10010084","article-title":"The application of pollen as a functional food and feed ingredient-The present and perspectives","volume":"10","author":"A\u017d Kostic","year":"2020","journal-title":"Biomolecules"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref017","volume-title":"Official Method of analysis","author":"AOAC","year":"2000"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref018","unstructured":"Winton AL, Winton KB. Techniques of Food Analysis. Jodhpur, Agrobios (India); 2006."},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0247327.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.3923\/pjn.2019.421.429","article-title":"Physicochemical, fatty acid and antioxidant properties of passion fruit (Passiflora species) seed oil","volume":"18","author":"SD Ramaiya","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pakistan J Nutr"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0247327.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"571","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2004.10.006","article-title":"Determination of the total phenolic, flavonoid and proline contents in Burkina Fasan honey, as well as their radical scavenging activity","volume":"91","author":"A Meda","year":"2005","journal-title":"Food Chem"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0247327.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1198","DOI":"10.1002\/jsfa.5876","article-title":"Sugars, ascorbic acid, total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity in passion fruit (Passiflora) cultivars","volume":"93","author":"SD Ramaiya","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Sci Food Agri"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0247327.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1040","DOI":"10.5897\/AJAR2015.10181","article-title":"Viability of maize pollen grains in vitro collected at different times of the day","volume":"11","author":"KAC Kaefer","year":"2016","journal-title":"African Journal of Agricultural Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0247327.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.18512\/1980-6477\/rbms.v6n2p159-173","article-title":"Conserva\u00e7\u00e3o e determina\u00e7\u00e3o da viabilidade de gr\u00e3o de p\u00f3len de milho","volume":"6","author":"CA Ferreira","year":"2007","journal-title":"Rev. Bras. Milho e Sorgo"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0247327.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1652","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules17021652","article-title":"Palynological origin, phenolic content, and antioxidant properties of honeybee-collected pollen from Bahia, Brazil","volume":"17","author":"KR Freire","year":"2012","journal-title":"Molecules"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2307","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/erg242","article-title":"Rate of dehydration of corn (Zea mays L.) pollen in the air","volume":"54","author":"DE Aylor","year":"2003","journal-title":"J Expl Bot"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Andronescu DI. The physiology of the pollen of Zea mays with special regard to vitality. [Thesis for Degree of Ph.D]. University of Illinois; 1915.","DOI":"10.5962\/bhl.title.127523"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0247327.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"490","DOI":"10.1108\/NFS-04-2012-0040","article-title":"Chemical composition and nutritional value of saffron\u2019s pollen (Crocus sativus L.)","volume":"43","author":"AM Sani","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nutr Food Sci"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref028","first-page":"1","article-title":"Chemical composition and nutritional value of palm pollen grains","volume":"6","author":"HMM Hassan","year":"2011","journal-title":"Global J Biotechnol Biochem"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref029","first-page":"75","article-title":"Chemical composition and amounts of mineral elements in honeybee-collected pollen in relation to botanical origin","volume":"59","author":"EKA Taha","year":"2015","journal-title":"J Apic Sci"},{"issue":"1\u20132","key":"pone.0247327.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/S0304-4238(97)00066-6","article-title":"Yield and nutritional value of Rosa laxa Retz pollen","volume":"71","author":"L Qingdian","year":"1997","journal-title":"Scientia Hort"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref031","first-page":"52","article-title":"Chemical constituents and antioxidant activity of Borussus flabellifer, Elaeis guineensis, Mimosa diplotricha and Mimosa pigra","volume":"3","author":"S Saeheng","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Med Chem Drug Discov"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref032","first-page":"14","article-title":"Chemical analysis of olive and palm pollen: Antioxidant and antimicrobial activation properties","volume":"1","author":"AM Basuny","year":"2013","journal-title":"Wudpecker J Food Technol"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.4260\/BJFT2009800900016","article-title":"Chemical composition and free radical scavenging activity of Apis mellifera bee pollen from Southern Brazil","volume":"12","author":"ST Carpes","year":"2009","journal-title":"Braz J Food Technol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0247327.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"927","DOI":"10.1590\/0103-8478cr20150999","article-title":"Physicochemical characteristics of pollen collected by Amazonian stingless bees","volume":"46","author":"KS Rebelo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ci\u00eancia Rural"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2013.11.010","article-title":"Biological activities of commercial bee pollens: antimicrobial, antimutagenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory","volume":"63","author":"A Pascoal","year":"2014","journal-title":"Food and Chemical Toxicology"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0247327.ref036","first-page":"156","article-title":"Review article: Pollen composition and standardization of analytical methods","volume":"47","author":"MGR Campos","year":"2008","journal-title":"Journal of Apicultural Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0247327.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jfca.2012.11.004","article-title":"Dried bee-pollen: B complex vitamins, physicochemical and botanical composition","volume":"29","author":"VAS Arruda","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Food Composition and Analysis"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0247327.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1632","DOI":"10.1890\/0012-9658(1997)078[1632:HEFAPP]2.0.CO;2","article-title":"How environmental factors affect pollen performance: ecological and evolutionary perspectives","volume":"78","author":"LF Delph","year":"1997","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00281171","article-title":"Ash percentage and mineral content of maize (Zea mays L.) pollen and style","volume":"45","author":"PL Pfahler","year":"1974","journal-title":"Theor and Appl Genet"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zheng MY, Sun JJ, Wei YS, Zhang P, Geng W. Determination of Mineral Elements in Crocus Sativus L. by the Method of Microwave Digestion and ICP-OES. International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology; 2012 May 28\u201330; Macao, China: IEEE; 2012. p. 138\u2013140. IEEE. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1109\/iCBEB.2012.133.","DOI":"10.1109\/iCBEB.2012.133"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"251","DOI":"10.1515\/aiht-2015-66-2630","article-title":"Mineral content of bee pollen from Serbia","volume":"66","author":"AZ Kostic","year":"2015","journal-title":"Arh Hig Rada Toksikol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref042","first-page":"175","article-title":"Mineral micronutrients composition of bee\u2019s pollen","volume":"13","author":"M Harmanescu","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Agroaliment. Processes Technol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0247327.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1399-3054.2007.01033.x","article-title":"Beneficial effects of potassium on human health","volume":"133","author":"FJ He","year":"2008","journal-title":"Physiol Plant"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref044","first-page":"3972","article-title":"Studies on the chemical compositions and anti-nutrients of some lesser known Nigerian fruits","volume":"7","author":"MO Bello","year":"2008","journal-title":"African J Biotechnol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0247327.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.2525","article-title":"Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of pine pollen extract in vitro","volume":"23","author":"KH Lee","year":"2009","journal-title":"Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1080\/03601234.2013.727664","article-title":"Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of monofloral bee pollen","volume":"48","author":"K Fatrcova-Sramkova","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Environ Sci Health"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.17221\/312\/2015-CJFS","article-title":"Evaluation of antioxidant activity and flavonoid composition in differently preserved bee products","volume":"34","author":"V Ceksteryte","year":"2016","journal-title":"Czech J Food Sci"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref048","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2014.05.007","article-title":"Chemical composition, bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and stability of floral maize (Zea mays L.) pollen","volume":"10","author":"S Zilic","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Func Food"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0247327.ref049","first-page":"1","article-title":"Correlation analysis between antioxidant activity and phytochemicals in Korean colored corns using principal component analysis","volume":"6","author":"KM Ku","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Agric Sci"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0247327.ref050","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"567","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinsphys.2004.04.003","article-title":"Nutritional suitability of corn pollen for the predator Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)","volume":"50","author":"JG Lundgren","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Insect Physiol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0247327.ref051","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"878","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodchem.2009.01.014","article-title":"In vitro antioxidant capacity of honeybee-collected pollen of selected floral origin harvested from Romania","volume":"115","author":"LA Marghita\u015f","year":"2009","journal-title":"Food Chem"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6882-12-45","article-title":"Chemical constituents and free radical scavenging activity of corn pollen collected from Apis mellifera hives compared to floral corn pollen at Nan, Thailand","volume":"12","author":"A Chantarudee","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Complem Altern M"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0247327.ref053","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"94","DOI":"10.1016\/S0924-2244(99)00023-0","article-title":"Influence of processing on the antioxidant properties of fruit and vegetables","volume":"10","author":"MC Nicoli","year":"1999","journal-title":"Trends Food Sci Tech"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0247327.ref054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.1016\/S0308-8146(03)00151-1","article-title":"Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of Iranian Ocimum accessions","volume":"83","author":"J Javanmardi","year":"2003","journal-title":"Food Chem"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref055","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"394","DOI":"10.7326\/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00013","article-title":"The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors","volume":"146","author":"L Mascitelli","year":"2007","journal-title":"Annals of Internal Med"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"429","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2621.2011.02859.x","article-title":"Portuguese bee pollen: Palynological study nutritional and microbiological evaluation","volume":"47","author":"LM Estevinho","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int J Food Sci Technol"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref057","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"270","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chroma.2013.06.055","article-title":"Nano-liquid chromatography in nutraceutical analysis: Determination of polyphenols in bee-pollen","volume":"1313","author":"C Fanali","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Chromatography A"},{"key":"pone.0247327.ref058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"180","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcs.2017.08.004","article-title":"Fatty acids of maize pollen\u2013Quantification, nutritional and morphological evaluation","volume":"77","author":"A\u017d Kostic","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Cereal Science"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0247327","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]],"date-time":"2021-02-24T18:33:04Z","timestamp":1614191584000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0247327"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Branislav T.","family":"\u0160iler","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0247327","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,24]]}}}