ITDG 
Interdev Agroalimentaire  

Small-scale processing of honey

	Type de fiche	Techniques/Technologies
	Mise en œuvre	ITDG(Royaume Uni)
	
	Zone géographique	Global; 
	Mots clés	TRANSFORMATION AGROALIMENTAIRE; MIEL

	Echelle d’action	Groupe; Famille/Exploitation familiale
	Public(s) cible(s)	Small- and medium-scale food processors

Contexte
Honey is either a clear viscous syrup or a crystalline paste, that varies in colour from a pale white/yellow to a dark brown.  It is extracted from the honeycombs of beehives and is a solution of sugars (glucose and fructose), vitamins, minerals and pollen, together with small amounts of volatile compounds that give its characteristic odour. It is twice as sweet as sugar (sucrose). The composition varies according to many factors including the source of flower nectar, the time of year and weather at the time of pollen collection.  Honey has a naturally sweet taste and is widely used as a medicine, as a replacement for sugar, as a sweet confectionery or in cooking. It is usually sold in glass jars or bottles and has a shelf life of several months.

Honey is a natural product that is extracted from the honeycombs of honeybees. It undergoes very little processing as this reduces the quality of the product. The moisture content of the honey is brought down to a standardised level so that it will not support microbial growth.  Preservation is achieved by reducing the moisture content.

The flavour of honey varies widely from region to region and is dependent on the local flora. Honeys from certain regions that are made from the pollen of specific flowers can command a premium price.

The beeswax from the honeycomb can be used for the production of a range of other products, for example, candles, cosmetics and polishes.

Problématique / Objectifs
Honey is not usually heated to reduce the moisture content as this process reduces the quality by changing the colour and flavour.
  Only sealed honeycombs should be used for the collection of honey as unsealed ones are not mature and have a higher moisture and pollen content. The honey should be fresh and not contaminated by insects.  It should not have started to ferment.
  Undamaged honeycomb should be used to reduce the amount of wax and comb pieces in the honey.
  The honey should be processed as quickly as possible to prevent contamination.  It is a slow and sticky operation that requires patience and careful control of other insects.
  All the equipment should be cleaned regularly to prevent contamination. It should be carefully dried to prevent moisture contaminating the product.
  The honeycombs should be uncapped carefully, using a special uncapping knife, to reduce the amount of debris and wax that falls into the honey.
  Heating should be avoided if possible as it spoils the taste and reduces the quality of the honey.  If it needs to be carried out, it should be done in a hot water bath, not directly over a flame.
  Heat causes the production of a chemical known as hydroxy-methyl furfuraldehyde (HMF) following the breakdown of sugars in the honey.  While HMF is not dangerous, it lowers the value of honey and is some countries there is a maximum permitted HMF level.  Heating should therefore be reduced to the minimum to maintain high quality honey.
  The final moisture content must be less than 19% (ie the sugar content should be more that 81%) to prevent fermentation taking place during storage. 
  Honey is hygroscopic, that is it readily absorbs moisture from the air.  It should therefore be stored in airtight and moisture proof jars and bottles.

Description/Mise en oeuvre
The processing of honey is a slow and messy operation that requires patience and careful control of insects and other contaminants. It follows these basic steps:

  Collect honeycombs
  Uncap
  Separate wax combs
  Filter
  Evaporate 
  Package and store

Collect honeycombs
Collect honeycombs from the hives.  Only use honeycombs that are sealed and undamaged.

Uncap
Remove the wax cap from the honeycombs using a heated capping knife.  The knife could be electrically heated or allowed to stand in hot water when not in use. Start cutting from the base of the comb and collect the wax in a clean dish. Turn the comb and remove wax from the other side.

Separate wax combs
Either allow the honey to drain out of the combs into a clean, dry stainless steel or ceramic bowl, or use a honey centrifuge to spin the combs.  The wax is a valuable product, it is collected, melted using hot water and formed into blocks.

Filter
Filter the honey through coarse and then fine stainless steel meshes or cloth bags to remove pieces of comb, wax and pollen.  The filters should be carefully washed after each use to prevent contamination of the honey.

Evaporate 
The moisture content of honey should be no more than 19%.  This is checked using a honey refractometer (which measures the amount of sugar - should be at least 81%).  If the moisture content is too high, it has to be reduced.  This can be achieved by gently blowing warm air (at 25-40 C) across the honey with a fan, or by very gentle heating in a water bath at a temperature of no more than 35 C. Heating reduces the quality of the honey and should be kept to a minimum.

Package and store
Fill the honey into pre-sterilised, clean glass or plastic bottles and seal. Care should be taking during filling to prevent honey spilling on the outside of the container as this will attract insects.  It is important to seal the jars as honey readily picks up moisture from the air, which leads to spoilage.  The jars should be stored in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.

A process flow sheet is available (ref link)

Résultats/Eléments chiffrés
The following equipment is required:

Uncapping knife
Honey centrifuge or stainless steel bowls
Coarse and fine filters
Honey refractometer
Water bath or fan
Scales
Jar or bottle sealer

Enseignements
Processors should pay strict attention to personal hygiene.  Honey is not cooked before consumption and since it is a low-acid food, strict hygiene rules for food handling should be observed.
  Since honey contains a high proportion of sugar, it attracts a range of insects, notably ants and wasps.  Particular care should be taken to ensure that insects do not contaminate the honey. The processing room should have mesh windows to prevent the entrance of flying insects.  Table legs should be stood in bowls or cans of water to prevent ants crawling up them. The store room should be inspected regularly to make sure it is free of insects.
  Most refractometers calculate sugar concentration on the basis of sucrose, but honey consists of fructose and glucose, and a specifically-designed honey refractometer is needed.
  Hydroxy methyl furfuraldehyde (HMF) is an important quality indicator and is produced by a reaction of sugars and acids in honey above 20oC.  Despite its somewhat alarming name it is not dangerous to health. High levels of HMF indicate that the honey is either old or has been heated or stored at a high temperature.
  Some honeys are more likely to granulate or crystallise than others, but nearly all will granulate if the temperature falls below 24 C. This is a natural process and there is no nutritional or quality difference between solid and liquid honeys.  However, there are strong consumer preferences for solid or liquid honeys in different regions.
  The colour, aroma and taste of honey are the most important features. Usually dark coloured honey has a stronger flavour and pale honey has a more delicate flavour. Generally, light coloured honey has a higher value.  The dark colour is due in part to the sources of nectar and pollen collected by the bees, in part to the amount of heating used in the process and in part due to the temperature of storage.  Where possible, heat should be avoided during processing and the honey should be stored in a cool place to prevent darkening.
  Some honeys have a very high pollen content, making them appear cloudy and this is considered to be low quality. Other contaminants such as wax, dust or insects make the honey of very low value.

Auteur : Sue Azam Ali
Saisie le : 06/12/2001
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