Nick Behrens asks how to make city pollen safe to eat.
 
I know of several persons in western Washington State who trap pollen but
none of them treat their pollen in any manner.  I also know of persons
producing pollen in other states, in all kinds of environments, without any
consideration for making the pollen safe for human consumption.  I was told
by some importers some years ago when I was researching the source of
quantities of pollen, that pollen from Spain was being imported into the US
through Canada and that it was treated with Carbon Tetrachloride prior to
shipment.  I couldn't find out why it was treated or what organisms in the
pollen may have been of concern.
 
One entomologist told me that he doesn't recommend people eating pollen:
"pollen is for the bees, not humans."  I replied that cows milk is for
calves not humans.  Many people eat pollen produced in western Washington
and only a few first time users experience some after-effects.  However, if
they reduce the amount they take to a few pellets, then gradually increase
their dose over a month, they cease to have any ill effects.
 
While quite a bit of research has been done on the vitimin, protein and
enzyme content of pollen, I'm not aware of anyone testing the relative
purity of pollen, collected in various localities, from environmental
contaminates, agricultural chemicals, etc.  Maybe someone on the list can
point us to some data that will answer the question.
 
Dr. Bromenshenk has done some extensive work using pollen collecting bees
as a bioassay method to determine environmental polution.  His work
indicates that bees bring some level of environmental contaminates back to
the hive and into the pollen trap tray.  Right Jerry?
 
Common sense seems to say not to trap pollen close to large cities,
freeways, or industrial sites if you want to use or sell it for human
consumption.  But I can't point you to any citation that would support my
caution.  I would have to do some digging in the literature.  While bees do
collect the pollen, and apparently use it, there is a negative impact on
the colony.
 
Maybe Jerry Bromenshenk can give us some prudent guidelines to follow.
 
James C. Bach
Yakima WA
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