Bee pollen as healthy food

In recent years the bee pollen grains have gained significant importance as healthy food or food supplement due to their highly nutritious features. The pollen grains that provide genetic material and nutrients for the development of seed are the male reproductive part of flowers. The pollen grains are collected by foraging honey bees from anthers of flowers and carry to the beehive where they are stored and used as food for the bee colony. The pellets of pollen attached to the legs of foraging bees can be scraped on returning from field with variety of designs of pollen traps and collected in a fitting tray. They consist of simple sugars, minerals, vitamins, protein and fatty acids with a small percentage of other components. Therefore, the bee pollen grains are good source of healthy food due to their highly nutritious value. They should be natural without contamination for human consumption. The processing and preservation of this unique food product with regard to food safety, unique traits and human consumption have been discussed.