The collection and storage of bee pollen are quite difficult and time-consuming activities. But at the same time, every beekeeper should know how to handle this apiary product.

Therefore, try to approach the process of collecting and drying pollen as responsibly as possible so that you get a high-quality and useful product at the output.

Why does pollen quickly lose its beneficial properties?

The rather “unpleasant" properties of pollen are considered to be that its life-giving properties quickly dissipate, even despite the high-quality storage conditions, and in the first place the vitamins and amino acids that it contains disappear.

This feature is due to the fact that even after the pollen has been collected, various biochemical reactions continue in it, due to which the loss of important nutrients occurs.

Collection   This beekeeping product usually occurs in summer and spring with the help of pollen collectors, but not during the main honey collection. This option is able to increase the profitability of your apiaries to 130% or more.

So how to collect bee pollen? Choosing the pollen from the pollen trap should be done every day before dark, because the pollen that you leave for the night can get wet.

Pollen drying.   After it is assembled, it must be dried:

• in a darkened room (you can use drying cabinets);
• it should be well ventilated;
• the temperature there is about 20-40 ° C.

Collected pollen should be scattered on sheets of paper with a layer that does not exceed 1 centimeter. Thus, dry it for 3 days.

And do not forget to stir the pollen from time to time. Also, this process can be done faster by raising the air temperature to 40 degrees, but observing humidity (not higher than 10%). So your drying time will be reduced by a few hours.

When pollen is ready, it will have certain signs:

1. You will feel that it is in the form of separate solid lumps that you cannot crush;
2. Pouring dried pollen onto plywood from a height of 20-25 cm, you will hear a sound that resembles a metal ringing.

In the pollen you can see a variety of litter, and so you can get rid of it with the help of a fan, because a hairdryer.

The second way to dry pollen

To ensure long shelf life and good preservation of pollen, you need to immediately preserve it. It is advisable to place our valuable beekeeping product in a sterilized glass jar, and seal with a seaming machine.

Dried pollen can be stored for a long time if it is dried in vacuum for about 1-1.5 hours at a temperature of 12 degrees. It is advisable that the storage place for pollen be a refrigerator.

A good way to preserve the taste of pollen.   Since honey and powdered sugar adsorb moisture from pollen, they can be mixed in a ratio of 1: 1 or 1: 2. This is a fairly simple and reliable method that will allow you not only to preserve a valuable beekeeping product, but also improve its taste (beekeepers should know that pollen is bitter).

And remember that do not store pollen in a warm and humid climate.otherwise, insects may appear in it. In a clean and dry room where our important product is stored, there should be no odors. And, of course, the presence of mice, insects, etc. is unacceptable.

The pollen we dried must be stored for no more than 1 year. But if you still mixed it with honey, then it will be suitable for some time (up to 5 years). However, pollen will gradually lose its healing properties. In 6 months after storage, it will lose 20-25% of its valuable properties, in a year about 40-50%, and in a couple of years it will completely lose all useful substances.

So, the main thing is to properly dry the pollen, and then store it in a room with a specific temperature and humidity. And follow some more rules that we have put a little higher. I wish you success in this difficult task, and benefit from this wonderful beekeeping product!

The shelf life of pollen is determined by its properties and preservation conditions. This is one of the most valuable beekeeping products, which, unfortunately, very quickly loses its properties.

How bees collect pollen

The healing properties of pollen are significantly higher than that of honey. Apparently, bees think so. Each striped toiler, flying to the field, collects not only nectar, but also pollen. Moved to the hive, it takes on a different name - shank. This is due to the fact that bees carry pollen on their legs.

The value of knobs for humans is increased due to the fact that the bees, when collecting pollen, process it with special enzymes, as a result, it loses part of its allergenic properties.

However, during storage, the beneficial properties of this product are very quickly lost. Particularly rapidly destroyed high molecular weight compounds such as amino acids and vitamins.

This rapid degradation is explained by the fact that after collecting in the dresser, biochemical processes continue for a long time. Weak pollen resistance is related to its purpose. After all, these are male carriers of plant genetic information. Their life is fleeting, because after the pollen got on the stigma of the pestle, it sprouts and becomes already part of the mother plant, in which the seed and fruit are formed.

Preparing pollen for storage

The picking is carried out using special pollen catchers. Of these, the product is taken into storage until evening. Otherwise, the trim left overnight may become damp.

The problem is that fresh pollen, even processed by bees, contains a lot of water. In order to preserve all the beneficial properties of this product, it needs to be thoroughly dried. For this, beekeepers use special drying cabinets. The shelf life to a large extent depends on the drying procedure.

Pollen drying should be carried out in a special room where the following conditions are created:

• lack of light, especially solar;
• constant flow of fresh air;
• air humidity not more than 10%;
• temperature in the range + 20 ... + 40ºС.

Collected pollen is first scattered on special sheets. Ideally, it should all lie in a very thin layer. The permissible maximum thickness is not more than 1 cm. During the entire drying process, the pollen must be mixed. However, this does not last long - about 3 days.

The degree of readiness of the pulp for storage is determined by a number of signs. Dried pollen has certain properties. Now it is no longer fluffy loose lumps, but small peas that are difficult to crush.

There is one more sign of readiness - if you pour dried dried edgings onto plywood or a tin sheet from a height of 20 cm, then a sound similar to a light metal ringing will appear.

If all these signs appear, then the product can be cleaned of impurities and put away for storage.

There is another, more advanced way of drying bee pollen. It is about the use of vacuum installations. In this case, to dehydrate the mash, it will take only 2 hours of time and the temperature is about + 120º C.

Shredder storage

How to store pollen with the maximum guarantee of its properties? In order for pollen to remain a good, useful product as long as possible, it must be preserved as quickly as possible.

This is done as follows.

1. The glass jar must be sterilized by heat treatment. It can be scalded with boiling water, and then held in a hot oven for several minutes. Dried pollen is placed in a dry and hot jar, after which the jar is closed with an airtight lid.
2. The shelf can be stored for a long time by placing it in a jar with a vacuum lid.
3. A good way to preserve the beneficial properties of mash is to mix it with honey, which is an excellent preservative. Pollen will preserve its properties for a long time if it is thoroughly mixed in young liquid honey in 1: 1 proportions. In this case, a tasty, healing and nutritious product is formed, used for colds and viral diseases.
4. Slice can be preserved with powdered sugar. Only in this case, powders need 2 times more than pollen. In this case, it is impossible to preserve sugar, because the dried mash does not interact with sugar grains and a homogeneous product will not form.

Terms and conditions of storage

No matter how you conserve pollen, it will still gradually lose its nutritional and healing properties. So when discussing the terms and conditions of storage of this product, we have to talk about how to minimize losses, as well as how long pollen can remain a usable food product.

If we are talking about the conservation of fresh, not dried up and not preserved pollen, then the main concern of a person is the creation of conditions under which it will not be infected with bacteria and fungi. It is difficult to protect a product with a high content of water and carbohydrates from mold, decay or fermentation. For this reason, you need to keep such pollen only in a well-sealed package and in the refrigerator on the top shelf. Under such conditions, storage is allowed for 6 months, and preferably 3 months.

If we are talking about dried but not preserved dressing, then it must be stored in the same conditions, but not more than 1 year, in extreme cases - 1.5 years. Experts believe that it is possible and 2 years. Of course, by this time the pollen will not lose its nutritional value, but it will be difficult to talk about the healing properties.

For such pollen, there is another problem - this is the defeat of the butterfly-fire. This is a small insect, something like a moth, which specializes not in wool, but in food products. If a butterfly lays eggs in a bowl with flour, small grains and pollen, then after some time this product can be thrown away, because small caterpillars will crawl in it.

Of course, a refrigerator and vessels such as glass jars protect from fire. Plastic bags do not always save products, because these butterflies are able to make small holes. However, you must constantly ensure that banks do not remain open for long.

The most promising product for storage is pollen mixed with honey until a homogeneous state. Honey restrains the destruction of complex organic molecules and, of course, is itself an excellent product with high nutritional and medicinal value. In addition, such a mixture acquires a specific, very pleasant taste. She has a chance to supplant all kinds of sweets and other sweet temptations from the list of taste preferences of children.

It is believed that a properly made mixture of honey and dried pollen can be stored for 5 years. This is true - during this period such a mixture will not mold, will not undergo fermentation or other forms of bacterial exposure. Not only that, it will still be useful even for young children. However, this is still too long. It may still be tasty, but not so healthy anymore.

Oddly enough, the pollen processed by bees, which has become a pollen, is stored for not so long, even if mixed with honey.

There are times when the beehive extracted from the honeycombs deteriorates in a few days. At the same time, it not only reduces its taste or medicinal properties, but can also become moldy or ferment. It is not for nothing that bees carefully pack this product in honeycombs, making it waxed on top.

The problem here is the amount of water. After all, bees do not dry the bee bread. A person is also not able to reduce the humidity of the product.

Bee bread mixed with honey can last 1 year in good condition and even more. However, this can only be achieved if stored properly, i.e. at low temperatures and in the dark.

From all the requirements described above for the terms and conditions of storage, consumers of useful bee products can draw a number of conclusions:

1. If unprocessed pollen has to be bought at the market or in the supermarket, then you also need to immediately take fresh, not yet candied honey.
2. To a homogeneous state, pollen with honey can be mixed in a mixer or coffee grinder. Just dried pollen will not dissolve even in liquid honey.
3. If you don’t feel like messing around with stirring, then you need to pack the pollen in a jar and put it on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

This product must not be frozen. After thawing it, only the appearance of freshness will remain. In addition, the biochemical processes of the destruction of organics that occur during freezing and thawing of pollen will nullify the healing properties of the product.

Just like propolis and royal jelly, bee pollen has a lot of valuable and useful for the human body substances and trace elements. When pollinating flowers, bees hook its pollen with their shaggy paws and carry them to the hive. Processed by the secretion of the jaw glands, pollen turns into a bee bread and becomes food for working bees.

Bee Collecting Pollen

Beekeepers have found a way to extract this pollen so that people can use it for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. Pollen contains all the necessary amino acids, vitamins, proteins and minerals. It is widely used both in traditional and non-traditional medicine. With a systematic approach, it can cure a number of diseases.

The method of collection, drying, as well as the proper storage of pollen affects its healing properties, therefore, all norms must be observed without fail.

Pollen collection can take place both with the participation of bees and independently. In the second case, you can simply pour pollen from a flower into a plastic container. True, this method is not recommended by beekeepers. If the bees did not process the dust particles with their special secret, the product will not have its beneficial properties.

The best time to gather is spring and summer. To collect pollen brought by a bee, you need to install a special trap on the hives. Each time a shred will fall into it when the bee flies inside.

Reference. You need to collect pollen from the hive until the evening, you should never leave the product until the morning, because it is soaked in moisture and deteriorated. In addition, the active hours of the bees last until lunch, after which the activity decreases. Therefore, before evening, it is easier to collect raw materials.

From the hive, the mash must be moved to a small container. Plastic or glass will do better than metal: oxidation is highly likely. However, such a container will be intermediate, it has yet to be dried. And since the primary raw material consists of water for 20-30%, it can be stored in this form at the most - 24 hours.

Natural drying

This method involves a certain time and environment. The principle is quite simple, but the conditions must be met as precisely as possible. The collected pollen is laid out in a thin layer up to 20 mm on blank sheets of paper or parchment in a room with low humidity and adequate ventilation.

The temperature in the room should not be more than 45 degrees, and direct exposure to sunlight should be excluded. From above it is better to cover with a thin rag or gauze so that dust does not get on the cuttings and insects do not sit down. 3 times a day, the raw materials must be mixed so that the drying is uniform.

This drying time usually lasts up to 5 days, depending on the initial water content in the product. You can recognize readiness by sound. If you pour dry pollen on the table, the sound will be like a metallic tinkling sound.

Drying cabinet

Such a procedure is better and more professional. Drying in a special cabinet significantly reduces the process time, and the raw materials do not need to be mixed. In addition, with such processing, the possibility of changing the temperature and humidity of the air, as a result of which pollen can lose its useful qualities, is completely eliminated. If desired, a drying cabinet can be built independently.

Depending on the equipment, moisture from the raw material is removed within 1-2 days. Manufacturers usually indicate the exact time. In such a cabinet, you can dry up to 10-15 kg of product at a time. The drying process is carried out using special infrared lighting, the desired temperature is maintained automatically.

After the drying step, you need to sift the product from excess litter and dust using a fine sieve, fan or hair dryer. Thus, it will be stored longer and will not lose its beneficial effects.

Cabinet for drying pollen

Proper storage

Important. The shelf life of bee pollen, subject to all conditions, is no more than 2 years. So that the product does not lose its most valuable properties, it is necessary to strictly follow the rules of storage.

The question of how to properly store ready-made bee pollen at home should be approached with all seriousness. Storage containers are best suited from dark glass with a tightly sealed lid. The room requires relative darkness, dryness, cleanliness and a temperature of 20ºС. If there is no special storage, then you can safely put in the refrigerator. Cold helps preserve nutrients and prevents the appearance of insects. Freezing pollen is contraindicated.

Before you pack the product in banks, they must be sterilized for alcohol or for a couple. So you will be sure that no bacteria violate the storage conditions of pollen.

How to extend the shelf life

Ready pollen can be preserved with honey. This method can extend the shelf life of your product up to 5 years due to the properties of honey as a natural preservative. At the same time, pollen will not lose its valuable qualities at all.

Beekeepers are advised to take components in a ratio of 1: 1 or 1: 2. The mixture is placed in sterile jars that are closed with nylon caps. Covers must be pre-treated with paraffin or wax.

Pollen storage

Canning benefits

If you conserve potatoes with honey, you can not only extend its shelf life without losing properties, but also achieve a number of additional advantages. Of all the advantages of this method, it is worth pointing out the following facts:

• After preservation, the characteristic bitterness is eliminated.
• Mixed with honey, pollen will be much tastier and more pleasant. It will be much easier to feed children with such utility.
• In combination with honey, the healing properties of the potato are enhanced.
• This mixture contains more vitamins and nutrients.

Conclusion

If all the rules and conditions for collection, drying and storage were met, then in your jars in the near future there will be a small storehouse of colossal healing and simply beneficial substances for the human body. Such a jar-lifter will stimulate the work of all organs, protect the immune system, contribute to the general tone and will be useful for both adults and children.

Is there anything healthier than natural honey? Among bee products there is a substance in which the concentration of healing properties is even higher. This is pollen or bee pollen. The second name reflects the method of collection: the bees collect the yellow mass and carry it into the hive on their limbs.

By the way, bee and flower pollen are not the same thing. At the end of the last century, people learned to collect valuable material without the participation of bees. On the one hand, it helped reduce the cost of the product, on the other hand, it was necessary to give up utility. The fact is that during the collection, the bees moisten their burden with saliva, which contains special enzymes. They are not present in the flower mass, and the final product, accordingly, does not have such a healing effect. In addition, bees neutralize allergens contained in pollen, so the likelihood of allergic reactions from the body is reduced.

To maximize the shelf life of the bee pollen, it should be thoroughly dried immediately after collection. This procedure helps to increase the concentration of beneficial components in a smaller volume of the product. The yellow mass is poured into 1.5 cm thick trays and sent to an oven at a temperature of 40 degrees. Dry to a friable state. Strict adherence to the temperature regime is mandatory, otherwise the destruction of important enzymes and hormones will follow. After drying, you need to get rid of impurities and litter, at home this can be done with a fan or hairdryer.

The fresher, the more useful properties are in it. Their concentration is halved by the end of the first year of storage, and after 24 months the beekeeping product is of no value to health.

Pollen consumption is indicated for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system. Due to the ability to remove excess cholesterol, the substance improves the condition of blood vessels and blood quality. Reception of pollen as an additional drug enhances the effectiveness of treatment of the liver and pancreas.

Using bee pollen, you can resist viral diseases, because it has an antibacterial effect. In addition, the substance helps to strengthen immunity, increase mental and physical activity. Special compounds support the body during hormonal disruptions.

Method of use

How much pollen can be consumed per day? The dose for an adult is approximately 10-15 g per day. Take the substance 2 times a day: morning and evening, half an hour before meals. The second method is advisable to do 4 hours before bedtime. Granules must be absorbed in the mouth until completely dissolved. The course lasts 1 month and is repeated 3 times a year.

Children should be given pollen after consulting a doctor. The daily dose at 3 years is approximately 4 g.

Contraindications to use are allergies, diabetes, frequent bleeding.

Location and storage temperature

For long-term storage, bee pollen is poured into an airtight container. At home, it can be both a jar and a plastic bag, the main thing is to close it tightly to prevent insects from getting inside. It is impossible to compress a substance, otherwise it will “suffocate”.

You cannot store pollen in a warm and humid place, otherwise uninvited guests cannot be avoided. Ideal storage conditions are a dark, dry place with a temperature of 0 to +14 degrees, so feel free to put the container with the crocker in the refrigerator. Shelf life in compliance with the above regime is 2 years.

However, you should know that as a medicine, the beekeeping product is stored for a shorter period of time. The fact is that even in the most ideal conditions, useful substances are lost over time, and pollen no longer has the value that was at the beginning of the storage process. For the treatment of diseases, it is better to use bee stalk not older than 1 year. When buying in a pharmacy, pay attention to the period specified by the manufacturer. If it is close to the end, it is better to refuse the purchase.

You can extend the shelf life of pollen using a natural preservative. Mix it with honey in a 1: 2 ratio. At home, such a mixture will be an excellent prophylactic during viral and infectious diseases. Pollen increases the concentration of valuable substances for the body at times, and honey extends the shelf life and improves the taste of the product. You can store the mixture for up to 5 years in a cool, dry, dark place.

Important

• Flower pollen has a lower content of nutrients than bee pollen.
• The older the pollen, the less valuable components there are.

The benefits of natural pollen medicine are obvious. If there are no contraindications, you can strengthen and maintain health by taking only 1 tablespoon per day. The main thing is to take care to keep the beekeeping product fresh as long as possible.

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Artyomovsk

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Zaporozhye

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Dnepropetrovsk

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Vasilievka

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Dneprorudny

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