INFLUENCE OF THE DEPHENOLIZATION PROCESS ON PROTEIN EXTRACTION OF Melipona Flavolineata POLLEN

Population growth and socio-environmental transformations have intensified the search for alternative protein sources that combine sustainability, resilience in the production chain, and high nutritional density. Unconventional sources have been explored by the food industry and science. Bee pollen, particularly that produced by stingless bees such as Melipona flavolineata, constitutes a biomass naturally rich in essential amino acids, bioactive peptides, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, associated with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, its matrix presents a significant biotechnological challenge: the competition of phenolic compounds in high concentrations that promote hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with proteins, resulting in cross-linking and precipitation that impair extraction yield. Dephenolization is a procedure that consists of extracting phenolic compounds and can modify the bioactive potential after treatment. The aim of this work was to compare the effect of the dephenolization process on pollen to verify if the treatment improves protein extraction. First, a pre-drying was performed on a mixture of Melipona flavolineata pollen that initially had a moisture content (AOAC 920.151) of ~45%, reduced to 0.62±0.26%. The centesimal composition analysis of the pollen was performed in terms of lipids (AOAC 920.39), proteins (ISO 24382:2023), and ash (AOAC 940.26). Dephenolization was conducted using 60% (v/v) alcohol at a solid-liquid ratio of 5% (w/v) under agitation at 150 rpm for 6 h; the entire process was conducted at 6°C. Up to 5 washing cycles were performed under the same conditions. The residual liquid from the washes was separated for the determination of total phenolic compounds (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), and antioxidant activity by the DPPH method, through spectrophotometric analyses. Protein extraction was performed (ISO 24382:2023) on pollen with and without dephenolization treatment via isoelectric precipitation at pH 8 followed by pH 4.5, and the precipitated protein was quantified using the Kjeldahl method. The results of the physicochemical composition of the pollen were: lipids 2.41±0.82%, ash 4.42±0.00%, and protein 37.9±0.23%. For TPC, TF, and antioxidant activity by DPPH, the values ​​were: 526.75±13.91 mg GAE/mL of extract; 18.31±0.47 mg QE/mL of extract; and 341.31±0.11 µmol ET/mL of extract, respectively, indicating that the washing extract can be valued for presenting a good profile of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity. Regarding the extracted protein, it was observed that the dephenolization treatment increased the efficiency of the process, resulting in a protein content of 64.85±0.31% for the untreated pollen and 78.25±0.64% for the treated sample, indicating a significant increase and classifying the product as a protein concentrate. Pollen can be considered an interesting raw material and can be used to compose new ingredients and functional supplements, promoting the value of products from native Amazonian bees consolidates regional socio-biodiversity as a sustainable matrix for the supply of alternative proteins and functional bioactive compounds.