Bottling and Packing Equipment

Honey filling and packaging equipment means the tanks, honey gates, scales, pumps, filling machines, lids and labelling tools used to fill strained and settled honey into jars, buckets or bottles hygienically, at the correct weight and in line with labelling rules. For a hobby beekeeper a filling tank with a honey gate and an accurate scale are usually enough; as sales volume grows, semi-automatic filling and labelling come into play. On this page you will find how to choose the equipment, how to fill step by step and what must appear on the label.

What is honey filling equipment for?

Honey is not put straight into jars when it comes out of the extractor. It is first strained and then left to settle for a few days; air bubbles and fine wax particles rise to the surface. The job of the filling equipment is to transfer this clean honey into its final packaging without adding air again, contaminating it or heating it.

• Hygiene: Honey is food; every surface used in filling must be made of food-grade material and be easy to clean.
• Correct quantity: Honey is sold by weight. Filling below the net quantity stated on the label misleads the consumer and causes legal problems.
• Quality: The wrong pump, unnecessary heating or standing open all have a negative effect on the honey's moisture, foam and HMF value.
• Traceability: For every jar, it must be known from records and the label which extraction batch it came from.

What types of honey filling equipment are there?

Settling and filling tank with a honey gate

This is the basic filling tool for small and medium-scale beekeeping. It is made of stainless steel or food-grade plastic, with a honey gate (honey valve) at the bottom. The honey settles in the tank, the foam stays on top, and jars are filled from the gate below. This way the cleanest honey comes first and the foamy part last.

• Type of gate: Choose a gate that is easy to take apart and wash, does not drip and cuts off sharply. Some gates come with an anti-drip cap.
• Tank height: There must be room between the gate and the work surface for a jar and a scale; the tank should stand on a stand or legs.
• Lid: It should have a tight lid to protect the honey from dust, insects and moisture while it settles.

Accurate scale

This is the measuring tool for filling. You put the jar on the scale and tare it, then fill from the gate up to the target weight. For filling honey for sale, it is a good habit to check the scale regularly and test it with a known weight.

Honey pump

Used to transfer honey between large tanks or drums. Because honey is very viscous, slow-running, positive-displacement pumps (e.g. gear, lobe or screw types) are preferred. Fast-running pumps mix air into the honey and make it foam. The parts of the pump that touch the honey must be food-grade and removable.

Filling machines

• Manually operated piston filler: Dispenses the set volume with each pull of the lever. Fast and consistent for medium-scale production.
• Semi-automatic filling by weight: While the jar is on the scale, the valve closes automatically when the target weight is reached.
• Automatic filling lines: Carry out jar feeding, filling, capping and labelling in sequence; they only make sense for large operations.

With machines that fill by volume, the density of honey changes slightly with temperature and moisture. So even after the volume has been set, weigh a jar now and then to check the net weight.

Warming cabinet and heated tank

Used to make crystallised honey runny before filling. The rule is the same as on the honey storage page: the honey temperature should not exceed about 40 °C, and warming should be slow and controlled. In Türkiye, the Honey Communiqué of the Turkish Food Codex does not allow honey to be processed at temperatures high enough to destroy its natural enzymes; honey to be sold as "raw honey" must not have been heat-treated above 45 °C.

How do you fill honey step by step?

1. Prepare the filling area: A clean room that bees and dust cannot get into, with easy-to-wipe surfaces. Keep pets, fuel, paint and detergents away.
2. Keep the jars clean and completely dry: Even a little washing water left inside can start fermentation on the surface.
3. Measure and record the honey's moisture: Measure the moisture of each batch with a refractometer. In the Turkish Food Codex the upper moisture limit for most honeys is 20 per cent; for long shelf life, aim for below 18 per cent.
4. Remove the foam: At the end of settling, skim off the foam and wax fragments from the surface with a ladle, or set aside the last jars to be filled.
5. Fill on the scale: Tare the jar, open the gate and reduce the flow as you approach the target. Let the honey fall into the middle of the jar, not onto its rim.
6. Clean the rim and threads: Honey on the threads stops the lid seating properly; dried honey glues the lid on and attracts ants.
7. Close immediately: Honey absorbs moisture from the air; the jar should not stand open between filling and capping.
8. Label and write the batch number: Set aside a few jars from the same batch as reference samples.

Which packaging and lids should be chosen for honey?

• Lid: On metal lids, the inner coating and seal must be sound. Honey is acidic; a lid whose coating is damaged will rust.
• Tamper band: A shrink film or breakable seal over the lid shows that the jar has not been opened and gives confidence.
• Food-contact suitability: Packaging must comply with the regulations on materials and articles in contact with food (in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex regulation). Ask the supplier for a declaration of compliance.
• Comb honey: Leak-proof, transparent boxes are used for cut comb; comb fragments and dripping honey must not get onto the edge of the lid.

What must be on a honey label?

In Türkiye, honey offered for sale must comply with the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Labelling and Provision of Food Information to Consumers and the Honey Communiqué. As the rules can change over time, consult your local agriculture authority before having your first label printed. In general, the label is expected to include:

• Product name: According to its source, "blossom honey" or "honeydew honey" (such as pine honey); "creamed honey" for extracted blossom honey crystallised in a controlled way.
• Net quantity: By weight.
• Date information: The best-before date.
• Batch number: A code showing which extraction batch it came from.
• Producer or packer details: Name, address and food business registration details.
• Storage conditions: A cool, dry place out of the sun.
• Infant warning: The Honey Communiqué requires the label to state "Honey should not be given to infants under 1 year of age".
• Botanical or regional name: A single-flower name such as chestnut, thyme or citrus is used only if it is supported by analysis and records.

Labelling equipment

• Labelling by hand: Enough for a small number of jars; a simple jar jig helps stick labels on straight and aligned.
• Desktop roll label applicator: Wraps the label neatly around cylindrical jars and saves time.
• Date and batch code: Can be printed with an ink numbering stamp or a label printer; a handwritten code must be legible and written with an indelible pen.

How do you clean filling equipment?

1. Remove leftover honey: Collect the honey in the tank and gate with a spatula.
2. Wash with warm water: Honey dissolves in water; warm water is usually enough. If you use a scented detergent, rinse with plenty of water.
3. Take the gate apart: The inside of the gate and the seals are where honey residue builds up most.
4. Dry completely: A tank left damp adds water to the honey at the next filling.
5. Store closed: Cover clean equipment to protect it from dust and insects.

Common mistakes in honey filling

• Filling without settling: A ring of foam and a white layer form at the top of the jar; the buyer takes this for poor quality.
• Overheating the honey: Filling becomes easier, but enzymes break down and HMF rises.
• Filling in the open on a humid day: Honey absorbs water from the air; in a humid climate, use a dehumidifier in the filling room.
• Filling by eye: A jar below the net quantity is a legal risk; overfilling is a loss.
• Unsuitable second-hand containers: Containers that have held pickles, oil or chemicals cause odours and contamination.
• Mixing batches: Putting honey from different apiaries and periods into the same jar rules out any single-flower or regional claim.