Ideas for improved Api-Management
To achieve the goal of exporting honey bee products into the EU, certain quality standards have to be achieved. The Strategic Intervention Plan, written by SNV/Ethiopia in 2005 listed approaches to increase the quality of honey bee products. [1] It has to be mentioned, that those criteria are equally important for Ethiopia and Indonesia, as well as for every other non-EU-country.
- The use of antibiotics as a preventive measure is forbidden. If the use is necessary, you have to follow the instructions exactly and remove all supers from the hive.
- During honey flow periods, you should not feed supplementary sugar or sugar syrup.
- Remove all frames, containing fermented honey, or moldy pollen.
- To prevent tobacco taste and its tar residues, avoid the excessive use of a smoker while harvesting.
- To avoid high moisture content, only harvest frames that are at least 70% sealed.
- If necessary, use chemical repellents for harvesting carefully.
- Supplement food should be positioned on an upturned hive cover instead of putting it on the ground.
- The honey extraction should take place in room that is protected from external moisture and honey bees.
- To avoid the rotting of the hive, all component parts (floor, walls partitions) should have a waterproofed surface.
- Do not heat honey above 40.6 °C to avoid the production of HMF.
- Machines and containers have to be sealed with food-quality paint, or contain of stainless steel or food-quality plastic.
- Do not smoke during the honey extraction.
- To remove big pieces of wax, filter the honey after extracting process.
- Do not store honey in rooms with high temperature, nor at places exposed to the sun.
- To avoid the re-uptake of external moisture, be sure to properly seal/shut honey containers.
- Do not collect pollen during honey harvesting season.
- Working with food and non-food products requires separate steps.
- If hives are placed in a "honey house", do not clean it, until all honey has been stored in airtight containers.
- Chemical products (detergents, glue for labels, medicine, insecticides, herbicides, ...) have to be stored separately from the extraction room.
- Do not use used oil barrels (even when waxed).
References
- ↑ SNV/Ethiopia (2005). Strategic intervention plan on honey & beeswax value-chains, snv support to business organizations and their access to markets (boam).
