The critical stage of a pollen harvest is not the collection but what follows it. Fresh pollen is very moist and mould growth can begin within hours.

Time pressure

• Empty the drawer daily
• Twice a day in hot, humid weather
• Do not let collected pollen stand; process it at once

Pollen left in the hive gets wet, heats and spoils. What is lost at this stage cannot be recovered.

Two routes: drying or freezing

Drying

Lowering the moisture prevents spoilage. Dried pollen can be stored at room temperature.

The critical point is temperature. High heat damages nutritional value, colour and aroma. Drying must be at low temperature with air movement.

• Spread the pollen in a thin layer
• Provide air movement
• Avoid drying in direct sun; colour and nutritional value suffer

Freezing

Preserves nutritional value better; the components lost in drying are retained.

Against that it requires a cold chain, which complicates distribution and sale.

Cleaning

Raw pollen contains bee parts, wax fragments, debris and dust, all of which must be removed.

• Sieving: Separates foreign matter of different sizes
• Air separation: Blows away light debris and dust
• Hand sorting: A final check at small scale

Checking the moisture

Whether drying has gone far enough must be established. Insufficiently dried pollen develops mould, and mouldy pollen cannot be used or sorted.

Adequately dried granules do not crush between the fingers; they feel hard.

Storage

• Dry, cool and dark
• Airtight containers
• Do not store in a damp place; pollen draws moisture from the air
• Keep away from odours

Hygiene

Pollen is consumed directly. Food hygiene rules apply at the collection, drying, cleaning and packing stages.