How to store bee pollen at home: methods and expiration date
Bee products are not only honey, wax and propolis. Bee pollen is also collected and used in folk medicine as a general tonic. With proper preparation, the product can be stored for a long time without losing its unique properties. A description of how to collect and store bee pollen at home will be useful for beginners and experienced beekeepers.
Why should pollen be stored?
The product is obtained by insects to feed all the inhabitants of the hive. Bees store pollen in baskets on their hind legs. Therefore, its second name is obnozhka. Bee pollen has a complex composition, contains trace elements, vitamins, protein, lipid complexes.
Depending on the plant from which it was collected, it may have a greenish, reddish or yellow tint. Mixed with enzymes secreted by insects during the collection and transfer process, the pollen gains unique properties.
The substance could not be obtained in the laboratory. The useful properties of pollen depend on the plants from which it was collected, how it was dried and under what conditions it was stored. Cover is used:
- to strengthen the immune system;
- prophylaxis during the cold season;
- during menopause, as a source of estrogen;
- to improve the functioning of the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract;
- as a natural antioxidant;
- used for sore throat;
- for prostate problems.
Course application saturates the body with energy, has a general strengthening effect.Due to the large amount of protein, it is used in dietary nutrition. Adults take a teaspoonful 2 times a day, for children 1 time is enough. The substance has tonic properties, the last dose is no later than 18-19 hours.
Important: do not give pollen to children under 3 years old, people who are prone to allergic reactions to flowering plants or bee products, prone to weight gain, suffering from diabetes
Only properly harvested and stored product has healing properties. To collect pollen, beekeepers use pollen traps - valves with holes installed in front of the notch. Squeezing into the hive, the bee loses part of the collected substance, it falls on the pollen tray. Every 2-3 weeks of collection, insects are given a week break to replenish food supplies.
During the collection of nectar, pollen traps are not installed. In cloudy, wet weather, they are also not used. The pollen tray is emptied daily, the pollen can become damp overnight.
Preparing for storage
The substance contains up to 30% moisture, for long-term storage it must be dried. The product is placed in a shaded dry place with good ventilation. You can place it on paper, special pallets made of wood or plastic. The layer of the skirt should not exceed 1.5-2 centimeters.
The pollen is periodically stirred for uniform drying. It is not dried in the sun, ultraviolet rays deprive the product of useful properties. At a temperature of + 20-25 degrees, it takes 3 days to dry completely.
It is acceptable to use devices for drying berries, mushrooms and dried fruits. Dry at a temperature up to +40 °C. When poured, the finished product emits a characteristic metallic sound. Dried pollen is sifted through a sieve (do not use metal), eliminating impurities (trapped debris, insects).
Industrial drying of the product is carried out in vacuum drying cabinets equipped with ventilation, where the set temperature is maintained. In this case, the drying process takes no more than 2 hours.
Rules and optimal conditions
Flower pollen is stored in sealed plastic bags, sterilized glass jars, under metal or vacuum lids. The main thing is not to freeze the product and make sure that moisture does not get into it. When frozen, the pollen loses its beneficial properties. Humidity causes clumping and moldiness of the product.If stored incorrectly, all vitamins and microelements decompose in bee pollen granules, and the healing effect disappears.
Expiration dates
Optimal shelf life - a year from the date of preparation. After this period, the product loses up to 40% of nutrients. Use within 2 years at observance of conditions of storage is admissible. The product is kept in a dark, cool place (it is possible on the shelves of the refrigerator), at a temperature not higher than + 12-15 ° С.
How to extend the shelf life
An effective storage method is to pour dried pollen into fresh honey. The pollen in granules is placed in a glass jar, poured with a liquid product 1: 1, or 2 parts of honey are taken. Seal the container hermetically. This improves the taste of the product and allows you to keep it without loss of quality for 1.5-2 years.
Another kind of pollen content: Sprinkling granules with powdered sugar. Sugar is not used for this purpose, it increases the moisture content of the product and does not preserve it.
Bee pollen differs from flower pollen in composition. It is able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, protect against colds in the offseason. The fresher the product, the more value it has for the consumer.
Recommended
How to store propolis: rules and methods at home, expiration date
How to store propolis: preparation for bookmarking at home, expiration date in different forms. How to know that propolis has deteriorated, and whether it can be used after that.
How to store dead bees at home: rules and methods, expiration date
How to properly store dead bees at home. Canning and freezing of bee products. Production of ointments, decoctions and infusions based on subpestilence.
How to store pickles in an apartment: conditions, methods and options, expiration date
Where and how to store pickled, pickled and canned cucumbers in the apartment, conditions, shelf life of blanks for the winter, valuable tips and advice.
