Preparation of honey

Honey is a food product farmed from bees and their hives.  This is an outline of the steps taken to ensure the honey from Bee Plus is in the best possible condition for your consumption.

  

 

Bacteriological - Chemical - Physical

These areas are covered in consideration of and operation of Bee Plus honey processing.  As honey is very high in sugar content, it is considered a low risk food product.

  
 

Planning and prerequisites — as for any food processing, the cleanliness of the area, equipment and persons coming into contact with or close proximity to, the food product is essential.

Therefore  adequate washing facilities are necessary for all three. The exclusion of domestic animals, pests, uncontrolled children, and anybody suffering from a transmittable illness from areas where the food product is exposed is also necessary.

 

Back to Honey

Here are the various stages that Bee Plus takes to ensure hazards are avoided and honey quality is maintained.

  

Stage

 

Hazard

 

Monitoring

 

Actions to control and/or correct

 

The hive

 Contamination of all hive parts from paints, preservatives, soil, plant material, vermin and bee disease treatments.
  • Ensure all paints and preservatives are suitable for use with beehives.
  • Regular inspection of hive parts for signs of vermin infestation.
  • Ensure honey supers do not make direct contact with the soil or plant material.
  • Follow all bee disease treatment instructions from the manufacturer for correct use.
  • If any of these conditions of contamination occur, destroy the honey by fire.
  • Some bee disease treatments are considered safe within honey if used within the manufacturers instructions.
  • Some honey that has been exposed to bee disease treatments may be used to feed back to bees in the winter.
  • Bee Plus cleans all outer hive parts after each season of use by blowtorching the surfaces.  All frames are inspected for quality and condition for re-use, and destroyed if not good enough.

Honey transportation

 Physical  and chemical contamination from transport methods, animals and rainwater.
  • Check transport surfaces are clean and free from possible contaminants, such as petrol, oil, soil, plant or animal material.
  • Make sure that honey supers are only in contact with food standard coverings such as polythene sheets.

  • If any of these conditions of contamination occur, destroy the honey by fire.

  • Bee Plus wraps each super in polythene before it leaves the apiary.

Uncapping, extraction, and pre-bottling storage

 Contamination from equipment, premises and / or people.
  • Prior to each session of use, check equipment for damage and / or contaminants.
  • Ensure working area is clean and ready for the honey extraction process.
  • Wear suitable protective clothing.

  • Do not start unless these checks have been made.

  • Bee Plus uses stainless steel equipment where possible and its operatives wear latex gloves.

Filtration

 Failure to spot and remove physical contamination.
  • Check all filters before use.

  • Do not use a damaged filter. 

  • Re-filter honey if damage occurred during operation.

Storage

 Contamination and tainting by other substances from surroundings or containers.  Honey deterioration due to high temperatures or moisture absorption.
  • Check containers for suitability of storing honey.
  • Check lids seal on each container to prevent moisture absorption.
  • Ensure no unsuitable chemicals are stored in the processing area.
  • Monitor temperatures; should remain below 40°C

  • Check conditions before starting the process.

  • Test honey for tainting by tasting.

  • If temperature is exceeded, then batch must be used or sold as cooking honey.

  • Test honey for correct water content level. If it exceeds 18%, then batch must be used or sold as cooking honey.

Bottling

 Excessively high temperatures.  Contamination from environment.  Broken glass jars from manufacturer.
  • Monitor temperature of warming cabinet to not exceed 50°C.
  • Check equipment and work area as for uncapping stage.
  • Check number of jars before and after each batch.
  • Watch for breakage.
  • If temperature is exceeded, then batch must be used or sold as cooking honey.
  • Start process if equipment is clean and free from contaminants.
  • If a breakage occurs, destroy all honey exposed to broken glass. Clean any sealed jars and equipment of any glass slivers and recheck unfilled jars and lids.

Transportation

 Contamination from moisture and / or contaminants where seals have become damaged.  Breakage of jars.
  • Check packaging and containers are suitable for honey in glass jars.
  • Remove from sale any product that appears damaged.
  • Use tamper seals to allow visual detection of possible intentional contamination.
  • Investigate cause of damage to tamper seals.

Display

 Breakage or tampering.
  • Check displayed product is suitably stacked and secure from accidental breakage.
  • Check tamper labels.
  • Check situation regularly.
  • Remove from display any stock with broken tamper seals.

After sale

 Fault found with product.
  • Label honey product clearly with producer's details and a batch/lot number.
  • Check current regulations for the labelling of honey.
  • Ensure all product has a traceable lot number.