Zastulka O. Mycological Safety and Quality of Bee Pollen

The results of organoleptic, physicochemical and microbiological researches of bee pollen from different regions of Ukraine are presented for 2013–2016 years. A map of bee pollen’s quality was created. The use of acidified (pH 4.5–5.0) Chapek or Sabouraud agar for cultivation and counting of microscopic fungi colonies was experimentally substantiated, as well as the use of Chapek’s agar and pollen suspensions at the dilution of 1:10 for detecting fungi of the genus Fusarium. In order to determine the types of microscopic fungi, it is proposed to use McConkey agar for the simultaneous detection of enterobacteriaceae and fungi. The structure of microscopic fungi of bee pollen of Ukraine was studied, as well as the dominant species of it. They are Aspergillus niger Tiegh., A. fumigatus Fresen., A. flavus Link., Rhizopus stolonifer (Ehrenb.) Vuill., Rhizopus oryzae Went & Prins. Geerl., Mucor hiemal Wehmer. It is suggested to mix bee pollen with honey in 9 times, which significantly reduces the content of fungi by 7.9 times (р<0.01), and dilution in 19 times – causes reliable reduction of microscopic fungi in 13.94 times (р<0.01). In the case of contamination of obscenity with microscopic fungi of genera Mucor and Rhizopus, its safety can be increased by irradiation with infrared rays for 1 hour, which will reduce the contamination of bee pollen with the fungi by 22.6 %.