The aim of our research was to establish morphological and spectrometric characteristics, the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of P. rhoeas bee pollen. Samples of monofloral and polyfloral bee pollen were collected in districts of the Kiev region (Ukraine) in the summer period of 2016 with the help of hinged pollen traps. Botanical origin, monoflorality, level formation and morphological parameters of pollen lumps were determined in the laboratory of the Department Horse Breeding and Beekeeping of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Spectrometric parameters and antioxidant activity of P. rhoeas bee pollen were investigated in the laboratory of the Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Biosafety of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. Biochemical analyzes were carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Storing and Processing of Plant Products of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra.

P. rhoeas bee pollen morphological parameters were established: length – 3,31 ± 0,033 mm; width – 2,97 ± 0,044 mm; weight – 9,87 ± 0,25 mg. Purity P. rhoeas monofloral bee pollen are in the range from 85 to 91 %. Polyfloral bee pollen always less than 80 % P. rhoeas pollen loads, and on average, in polyfloral collection pollen gets 38 %. P. rhoeas bee pollen of the color parameters were determined for its botanical identification. Specular Component Excluded method with illuminants D65/10 ° and A/10 ° respectively: L* –33,88 ± 0,25 and 33,91 ± 0,25; a* – 0,04 ± 0,07 and 0,14 ± 0,12; b* – 4,42 ± 0,13 and 4,45 ± 0,12; C* – 4,43 ± 0,13 and 4,47 ± 0,11; h ° – 89,34 ± 0,87 and 88,01 ± 1,68. Specular Component Included method with illuminants D65/10 ° and A/10 ° respectively: L* – 41,09 ± 0,13 and 41,11 ± 0,13; a* – -0,04 ± 0,03 and 0,03 ± 0,08; b* – 3,28 ± 0,07 and 3,31 ± 0,07; C* – 3,29 ± 0,07 and 3,32 ± 0,07; h ° – 90,76 ± 0,56 and 89,4 ±1,39. Heterogeneous pollen grains in bee pollen are confirmed by the results of each measurement of P. rhoeas monofloral bee pollens, which show one over one lines on Spectral Plot. The antioxidant activity of P. rhoeas bee pollen in aqueous and alcoholic solutions were 68,61 ± 6,712 % and 55,80 ± 1,492 %, respectively. The content of phenolic compounds is 419,16 ± 9,356 mg TEAC/g; phenolic acids – 2,40 ± 0,052 mg CAE/g; polyphenols – 16,47 ± 0,339 mg GAE/g; flavonoids – 13,34 ± 1.533 mg QE/g.

Key words: bee pollen, Papaver rhoeas L., monoflorality, spectrometry, antioxidants, phenolic compounds.