For nearly all bee products the seal matters more than the storage temperature.

Why air and moisture are the problem

• Honey draws moisture from the air and ferments if the moisture content rises too high
• Dried pollen takes up moisture and goes mouldy
• Royal jelly is degraded by air
• Propolis dries out and loses active constituents
• Wax takes up smells

A well-dried batch of pollen not stored airtight is spoiled within weeks. The dryer has then worked for nothing.

Suitable materials

• Glass with a sealing lid: Takes up no smells, seals well, reusable
• Food-grade plastic with a sound closure
• Stainless steel for larger quantities

Paper bags, cardboard and non-sealing containers are unsuitable.

Unit size

Small units are better than one large one. Every opening exposes the entire contents to air and moisture.

For sale that means filling into the unit it will be sold in, not decanting from a large storage drum.

With royal jelly this is not a detail but the core: repeatedly opening one jar costs more quality than the storage time itself.

Smells

Bee products take up ambient smells. Store them away from cleaning products, fuel, paint and strong-smelling foods.

Propolis has a strong smell of its own and belongs apart from honey.

Light

For propolis, royal jelly and pollen, dark storage matters alongside airtightness: light breaks down the constituents and degrades the colour.

Labelling

Note on each unit the product, harvest date, apiary and period. Without those details no origin claim can be substantiated.