Bee pollen is recognized as a superfood due to its high content of nutrients and bioactive compounds. However, its bioavailability is restricted by a degradation-resistant outer layer known as exine. Physical and biotechnological techniques have recently been developed to degrade this layer and improve pollen’s nutritional and functional profile. This review examines how processing methods such as fermentation, enzymatic hydrolysis, ultrasound, and drying affect pollen’s chemical profile, nutrient content, and bioactive compounds. The review also considers changes in exine structure and possible synergistic effects between these methods. In addition, the challenges associated with the commercialization of processed bee pollen are examined, including issues such as product standardization, stability during storage, and market acceptance. The objective was to provide an understanding of the efficacy of these techniques, their physicochemical conditions, and their effect on the nutritional value of the pollen. The work also analyzes whether pollen transformation is necessary to maximize its benefits and offers conclusions based on the analysis of available methods, helping to determine whether pollen transformation is a valid strategy for inclusion in functional foods and its impact on consumer health. Although the literature reports that pollen transformation influences its final quality, further studies are needed to demonstrate the need for pollen exine modification, which could lead to greater market availability of pollen-based products with functional properties.

This study evaluated the effects of bacterial fermentation (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, CHOOZIT^®, and YO-MIX^®) and enzymatic hydrolysis (Protamex^® and Neutrase^® at 1% w/w and 5% w/w) on the proximate composition and antioxidant activity of bee pollen from the Colombian tropical dry forest. Both treatments significantly modified the nutritional profile, increasing moisture content (48–71% fermented; 50–68% hydrolyzed) while reducing protein and carbohydrate fractions. Fermentation produced strain-dependent antioxidant effects: L. plantarum maximized ABTS scavenging, while YO-MIX^® 1:1 achieved the highest DPPH activity. Enzymatic hydrolysis demonstrated superior and more consistent improvements across all assays: Neutrase^® 1% achieved 8.5-fold ABTS enhancement, while Protamex^® 1% maximized DPPH scavenging (8-fold). All enzymatic treatments increased total phenolic content by 70–84%. Protamex^® 1% emerged as the optimal treatment, achieving the highest DPPH activity (2689 µM Trolox equivalents/g pollen), substantial antioxidant enhancement across all assays, and preserved nutritional stability (201 kcal/100 g). These findings support the use of mild enzymatic hydrolysis for valorizing Colombian tropical bee pollen as a functional food ingredient with enhanced bioavailability.