Honey Production & Processing
Honey Production & Processing
Honey Production & Processing
Ag Processing Technology
Honey
Sweet fluid produced by honey bees Derived from flower nectar According to the US Honey Board and various national food regulations Honey stipulates a PURE food product
Honey Make-Up
Sweetness comes from monosachrides fructose and glucose Has approximately the same sweetness as granulated sugar Most micro-organisims dont grow in honey due to its low water activity However it does frequently contain dormant endospores of bacterium Clostridium botulinum that can be toxic to infants
Honey Production
Honey Production
Bees produce honey as a food source In cold weather or when food is scare bees use excess honey for energy By contriving for bee swarms to nest in artificial hives, people have been able to semi-domesticate bees and harvest excess honey
They raise the larve and collect the nectar that becomes honey in the hive
Honey Production
After collecting nectar the bees use their honey stomachs to ingest and regurgitate the nectar a number of times until it is partially digested It is then stored in honeycomb cells After the final reguritation the honeycomb is left unsealed
However at this point the nectar is still high in both water and natural yeast which unchecked would leave cause the sugars to ferment
Honey Production
The process continues as bees inside the hive fan their wings to create a strong draft across the honeycomb This enhances evaporation which raises the sugar concentration and prevents fermentation
Blended Honey
Most commercially available honey Mix of 2 or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density or geographic origin
Polyfloral
Wildflower honey Derived from the nectar of many types of flowers Taste may vary year to year Aroma and flavor can be more or less intense depending on which bloomings are prevalent
Monofloral
Made primarily from the nectar of one type of flower Produced by beekeepers keeping beehives in areas where the bees have acess to only 1 type of flower Typical North America Monofloral honeys are
Honeydew Honey
Made from the sweet secretions of aphids or other plant sap-sucking insects Dark in color with a rich fragrance Not as sweet as nectar honeys Popular in some areas (Germanys Black Forest and some portions of Bulgaria) Production is much more complicated and dangerous
Comb Honey
Organic Honey
Produced, processed and packaged in accordance with national regulations and certified as such by some government body or an independent organic farming certification organization
Crystallized Honey
Also called granulated honey Some part of the glucose content has spontaneously crystallized from solution as a monohydrate
Pasteurized Honey
Reduces mouisture levels, destroys yeast cells, liquefies crystals Sterlizes the honey and improves shelflife Downfalls
Excessive heat exposure results in product deterioration Heat also affects appearance, taste and fragrence Can darken the natural honey color
Raw Honey
Honey as it exsists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat above 120 degrees F Contains some pollen May also contain some small wax particles Local raw honey is often sought by allergy sufferers as the pollen impurities are thought to lessen the sensitivity to hay fever
Strained Honey
Honey that has been passed through a strain to remove particulate material without removing pollen, minerals or valuable enzymes
Ultrafiltered Honey
Honey processed by very fine filtration under high pressure Removes all extraneous solids and pollen grains Very clean Has a longer shelf life Preferred by the supermarket trade Degrades certain qualities of the honey much like the pasteurization process
Ultrasonicated Honey
Processed by ultrasonication Non-thermal alternative for processing Destroys most of the yeast cells and those that are not destroyed generally lose their ability to grow Reduces the rate of fermentation
Whipped Honey
Akacreamed honey, spun honey, churned honey, candied honey, honey fondant Processed to control cyrstallization Also produces a honey with a smooth spreadable consistancy
Preservation
Storage (start)
Suitable for long term Recommended to be stored for 2 (max. 3) years Main goal is to prevent fermentation Best honey is that in the comb that has been sealed with wax by the bee Should not be stored in metal containers, ceramic or wood are best Dark, dry place to prevent mouisture absorption Do not store uncoverd in the frig as it will absorb odors and flavors from other items
Honey Grading
Grading Honey
Voluntary Based on USDA standards Quality is based on
Soluble solids Water content Flavor Aroma Clarity Absence of defects color
Honey Grades
Grade A-Good Grade B- Reasonably Good Grade C-Fairly Good Substandard- Poor, Failing
Indicators of Quality
Distinquished by fragrance, tase and consistancy Ripe, freshly collected high quality honey at 68 degrees F should flow from a knife in a straight stream with out breaking into separate drops. After falling it should form a bead When poured it should form small, temporary layers that disappear quickly, indicating high viscosity. If not it indicated excessive water content (over 20%)
Indicators of Quality
In the jar fresh honey should appear pure, consistent fluid and not settle in layers Transparent or honey that is reluctant to thicken may indicate the bees were fed sugar syrup or sugar which is bad for the bees and the honey they produce Fluffy film on the surface of the honey (like white foam) or marble colored or white-spotted crystallization on a containers sides is formed by air bubblesthis is an indication of high quality honey which was filled without pasteurization
Uses (start)
Top Producers
2005
SD Honey
Highly desirable Mild flavored Light colored Alfalfa/sweetclover blend
Beeswax hand creams Candles Soaps Beeswax Skin Creams Honey B-B-Q Sauce
Sources
Wikipediawww.wikipedia.org Argus Leader www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl e?AID=20090323/BJUPDATES/90323038 http://www.state.sd.us/doa/das/valu_bee. htm http://www.madeinsouthdakota.com/Catal og/Category.cfm?catId=587