All analyses for amino-acids are in g/16 g N, of the crude protein in the pollen sample.

In this book it has been assumed that these analyses are a tolerable approximation of percentages of the amino-acids contained in the respective proteins within the pollen samples.

Crude protein is reported as a percentage (%) of the total crude protein within the pollen sample.

The tables 2 - 44 contain the percentage crude protein of the pollen and the percentage amino-acids in the crude protein contained in the pollen from the respective floral sources.

The results of the analysis were normalised to 82.5% recovery, so comparisons can be made between samples collected at different times and places.

Tryptophan

The chemical analysis of the essential amino-acid tryptophan is very difficult. In most pollen samples tested, tryptophan was not included in the test. However, when this amino-acid was specially tested for, its level were always well above the critical 1% required by bees, as indicated by De Groot. (See Appendix - Pollen protein for wild life).