Heat Treatment of Pollens: Impact on Their Volatile Flavor Constituents

Abstract

Three different heat treatments of honeybee-collected pollens were compared. Twenty hours at 30 °C decreases the water activity to below 0.6 without modifying the free amino acid content, thus avoiding further synthesis of undesirable flavor compounds. More drastic treatment (40 or 60 °C) can lead to high amounts of dimethyl sulfide (cooked-onion flavor), mainly when pollens rich in S-methylmethionine are used. Moreover, many Strecker aldehydes may be produced in concentrations above their perception thresholds. © 1995, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.