Bee bread is pollen that the bees have packed into cells and that has been transformed there by lactic fermentation. It is not the same product as trapped pollen.

How it forms

The bees pack the pollen down, add honey and glandular secretion, and seal the cell with a layer of honey. Under exclusion of air, fermentation begins.

The result keeps better than fresh pollen and is more digestible. The taste is more acid.

Harvesting

Unlike pollen there is no trap. Bee bread sits in the comb and must be taken out of it:

• Cutting out by hand: Labour-intensive, but part of the comb can be spared
• Freezing and breaking: Frozen, the bee bread becomes brittle and releases
• Mechanical separation: The comb is milled and the fractions separated; the comb is lost

What it costs the colony

This is the heart of the judgement. Bee bread is the protein store of the colony, intended for rearing brood.

Taking it is therefore a deeper intervention than intercepting incoming pollen with a trap. It should be done only from strong colonies with a surplus, and not before winter bees are reared.

Storage

• Wetter than dried pollen and therefore more perishable
• Cold chain required; freezing is the safest route
• Store airtight
• Mould is a real risk; when in doubt, do not use it

Quality and origin

Quality depends on the variety of the pollen and on whether the colony was under treatment.

Do not harvest during a treatment period, and record the harvest date.

Market

The market is narrow and the labour high. Find the buyer before you produce; a product requiring a cold chain that cannot be sold is a cost, not stock.

Warning

As with pollen, allergic reactions are possible. Starting with a very small amount is the usual precaution.