2.6 Preparing and Bottling Liquid Honey (+Ling) Flashcards
What is meant by thixotropic honey?
Becomes temporarily liquid when shaken
or stirred then returns to gel.
From what floral source does it come in the UK?
Ling heather - Calluna vulgaris.
List the methods used to extract and jar heather honey and the difficulties that may be encountered.
PSP
1 Pressing. Honey is cut out of the combs and placed in a bag. Good idea to warm the
honey before placing in a press. Very messy and certain amount is lost.
2 Scraping using a Smiths Cutter.
3 Perforextractor. Large roller like a rolling pin with needles that perforate and excite
the honey so that it turns liquid. Then extract in a tangential extractor. Need to work
fast before honey stats to go like jelly.
High water content means ling honey is prone to ferment.
For honey destined to be sold: name two types of extractor that can be used to
process floral honey and a piece of equipment to extract ling heather honey.
Radial and tangential extractors and a press for ling heather honey (Peebles Press but
many on the market).
Compare the two commonly used centrifugal methods of extraction, giving their
relative advantages and disadvantages.
Tangential • Good for small number of frames • More efficient extraction • Economical on space • Value for money
- Limited number of frames (^)
- Unwired frames can break under force
- Frames must be turned so..
- Time consuming
Radial • Faster, no need to turn frames • Frames less likely to break • More can be processed at one time • Can be converted to tangential
• Less efficient in honey extraction unless spun clock
and anti-clockwise.
Under Food Regulations, of what materials can a honey extractor be made?
Stainless steel and food quality polythene.
What are the requirements for a beekeeper to extract small quantities of honey in a
domestic kitchen?
FLOOR WALL DOOR SURFACES CEILINGS WINDOWS WASHING SINKS LOBBY BETWEEN LOOS
- Floor surfaces must be sound and easy to clean and disinfect
- Wall surfaces must be sound and easy to clean and disinfect
- Doors must be easy to clean and disinfect
- Any surfaces (including those of equipment) must be sound and easy to clean and
disinfect. - Ceilings and windows must be designed, constructed and finished to prevent the
accumulation of dirt. - Windows opening to the outside must befitted with insect-proof screen which can be
easily removed to be cleaned. - Windows must be kept closed during operation.
- Adequate facilities to wash tools and equipment to have both hot and cold water.
- Separate hand and food-washing sinks. Washbasins available, suitably located and
designated for cleaning hands - Ventilated lobby between toilet and extraction room.Lavatories must not lead directly
into rooms in which food is handled.
Summary: The premises must have adequate layout, ventilation, be clean and in good
repair, with appropriate lavatories and hand washing facilities. Hand washing facilities
must have both hot and cold water and, where relevant, be separate from the food
washing facilities.
Section C question:
Starting with a super of capped frames of liquid honey, which have been brought straight from the hive, describe how a small scale beekeeper produces jars of clear honey for sale. State the precautions to be taken at each stage of the process.
Before the supers are brought into the honey processing room, make sure the room is
scrupulously clean. Clear, clean surfaces and sink. Clean floor preferably covered in paper
to catch any drips, which saves cleaning up later so much easier. Windows and doors
closed. If it’s high summer and very hot a fan be needed to keep you cool. The honey
handlers should wear appropriate clean protective clothing.
Check the water content of the honey with a refractometer. 17% is ideal. 20% is the legal
upper limit.
Set up the uncapping tray on a firm level surface and sharpen the uncapping knife. If using a heated uncapping tray it will need to be on a slight slope and have the spout over the sink so that the liquid honey can run into a container.
Set up the extractor on a level surface.
Bring in one or more supers and set them down on the floor. Alternatively transfer the
frames to a lidded plastic box which will help keep the floor free of drips and discourage
interest from roaming insects.
Uncap the frames over the uncapping tray. Have the frame end on and leaning slightly over. Work the knife from the bottom up so that the wax falls away from the frame. Take care not to cut the hand holding the frame as you near the top. Place the uncapped frame
in the extractor. Continue the uncapping process. If using a radial extractor take care to balance the frames as much as possible. Start the extractor. If using an electric model start slowly. Be prepared to stop and adjust the frames if it seems horribly out of balance. There should be no need to reverse the spin. If using a tangential extractor the frames will have to be turned half way through.
Return the frames to the box. Never leave the room with the extractor running, staying in control of the extractor at all times. Frames can break unexpectedly and the extractor must then be stopped immediately.
Run the extracted honey through a set of plastic or stainless steel strainers into a 14kg (30lb) food quality plastic bucket. Straining will remove most of the wax particles and any unwanted matter. Close the bucket with its air tight lid and store in a dry, dark, vermin
proof room at 10-15℃. Label the bucket with the date and source of the honey.
The buckets will cool gradually and slowly granulate. After about three months it can be §assessed to see if it is best suited to run or soft set honey.
Taking a bucket that has been assessed for run honey heat it to about 52℃. When it is
completely runny some particles will float to the surface. These can be scooped off with a
spoon and the last elements removed with clingfilm.
Pour the warm honey into a settling tank and allow to settle overnight. Air bubbles will float to the top and heavier debris sink to the bottom. The honey can then be jarred the following day. The debris should be below the spout and the process can be stopped
before the bubbles reach the spout or they can be removed earlier.
Jars can be heated in a water bath at 60℃ for 45 - 60 minutes then cooled as quickly as possible. This breaks down remaining yeasts and gives clear honey a longer shelf-life.
Jars can be labelled ready for sale in line with The Honey Regulations 2015.
Describe one method of accurately determining the water content of honey
• Take a Honey Refractometer that has been factory set to measure water content.
• Ensure that the test window is clean and perfectly dry.
• Take a tiny sample of honey from the comb and smear it on the test window. Close the
flap.
• View the reading through the eyepiece. The readout is given as a percentage of the
water content.
In what way can honey with a high water content spoil?
It can ferment
Under what environmental conditions should honey be stored to prevent fermentation?
In a dry vermin free location at 10℃ or less with an air tight lid to either a jar or food standard plastic tub.
Benefits of warming honey when processing?
• It becomes more viscous and easier to process.
• If heated to 60℃ for 45 minutes the yeasts in the honey are reduced/destroyed and the
honey will stay clear for several months.
• Heated to 32-35C and it is pourable. Also a good temperature to seed honey
