Does Filtering Or Straining Honey Remove Pollen From Honey?
|
Tiempo de lectura 5 min
Honey bees bounce from flower to flower, pulling nectar and collecting pollen from each flower. Day in and day out, they forage for these ingredients, bringing loads back to the hive. Either on purpose or accidentally, pollen ends up in the stored nectar before it turns into honey.
While harvesting the finished honey, beekeepers will remove wax coverings from each cell and remove the honey. Typically straining the honey before placing it into bottles.
Many beekeepers filter honey to remove large debris such as insect parts and wax to make the honey appear clear in jars, and filtering honey can remove fine particles, pollen grains, and air bubbles that are normally found in suspension.
While we are talking about honey, make sure you see our popular post about Organic honey and why you should skip buying it.
Some pollen naturally ends up in honey, but most filtering by hobbyist beekeepers is meant to remove wax and debris, not pollen.
Common honey filters (200–600 microns) are much larger than pollen grains, so normal straining does not remove most pollen.
Removing nearly all pollen requires commercial-level processing, meaning most raw honey still contains pollen and its natural characteristics.
The Process of Filtering Honey
Filtering honey is a key step in producing the high-quality honey that both beekeepers and consumers expect. After bees have filled the honeycomb with nectar and transformed it into honey, beekeepers begin the extraction process by removing frames from the hive. Using an extractor, they spin the frames to collect the liquid honey, which is then poured into a bucket or bottling tank. At this stage, the honey contains not just the sweet liquid, but also bits of wax, bug parts, and other debris that naturally find their way into the mix.
To create a smooth, appealing product, beekeepers use a filtering process to remove these unwanted materials. Filtering honey typically involves pouring the extracted honey through a filter—often made of metal mesh, cheesecloth, or even plastic or foam—to strain out fine particles, air bubbles, and larger chunks of wax or honeycomb. The choice of filter and the number of filtering stages can vary depending on the beekeeper’s goals and the type of honey being produced.
For those who value raw honey, minimizing the filtering process is important to preserve the honey’s natural enzymes, flavor, and nutritional benefits. However, some level of straining is usually necessary to remove larger debris that would otherwise settle at the bottom of the container or affect the honey’s appearance. Some beekeepers allow honey to sit and settle in a cool, dry location, letting fine particles and air bubbles rise to the surface or sink to the bottom before bottling. Occasionally, enzymes may be used to help loosen stubborn debris, but this must be done carefully to avoid altering the honey’s natural properties.
Temperature control is another crucial factor in the filtering process. Excessive heat or the use of sprays can damage the delicate qualities of raw honey, so most beekeepers avoid heating honey above recommended temperatures. Cleanliness is also essential—using sanitized equipment and following clear instructions helps protect the honey from contamination and ensures a high-quality final product.
The type of filter used—whether metal, cheesecloth, plastic, or foam—can influence the clarity and texture of the honey. Finer filters remove more debris but may also strain out some pollen grains, which are valued by many for their potential health benefits. For allergy sufferers, removing pollen can be helpful, especially during pollen season, but it’s important to note that most hobbyist-level filtering does not remove all pollen from honey.
For consumers, the choice between filtered and unfiltered honey often comes down to personal preference. Unfiltered honey may contain more pollen, wax, and other natural materials, giving it a richer flavor and a cloudier appearance. Filtered honey, on the other hand, is typically clearer and smoother, making it a popular choice for those who prefer a more refined product.
In summary, filtering honey is a careful balance between removing unwanted debris and preserving the natural qualities that make honey unique. By understanding the different methods, materials, and best practices involved in the filtering process, both beekeepers and consumers can make informed choices about the honey they produce and enjoy. Whether you prefer your honey raw and unfiltered or crystal clear, the process behind each jar is a testament to the care and craftsmanship of beekeepers everywhere.
Now What Happens To The Pollen Removal In The Honey?
The vast majority of pollen collected by the bees is not mixed with the honey. Bees typically store pollen separate from honey, but some pollen will be mixed with the honey. Pollen is a fine powder produced by trees, grasses, and weeds for plant reproduction, and the amount of pollen in honey can vary, but there is a normal range for different honey types depending on their floral sources and geographic origins. Beekeepers typically strain bits of comb and bees from honey for appearance sake. Most beekeepers believe using very small filters will exclude the pollen and separate it from the honey. However, pollen removal can occur accidentally during filtering, and pollen acts as a fingerprint for honey's origin, making pollen analysis essential for verifying nectar sources and geographic origin.
I believed it for years until I heard an expert, a palynologist, speak on the matter. Dr. Richard Carroll from The University of Alabama, shared some interesting information about pollen. Beekeepers often accidentally remove most or all of the pollen from their honey during filtering, which can complicate authenticity and labeling.
How Much Pollen Is In Your Raw Honey?
The average pollen grain is 25 microns wide, much smaller than the smallest filter a non-commercial beekeeper will have. Filters designed for straining honey for hobby beekeepers come in three sizes, 200 microns, 400 microns, and 600 microns. These numbers represent the size of the tiny holes in each filter.
A 1/4-inch hole is equal to over 6000 microns.
Some of the largest pollen granules only measure 100 microns wide, half the size of the smallest hobbyist filter. Pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds can trigger allergies and often clings to surfaces, making it hard to remove.
So rest assured, if you are worried about buying honey with all the pollen strained out or straining out the pollen out of your own honey, you can put that behind you. A hobbyist beekeeper would have to really go out of their way to get rid of their pollen. However, for those with allergies, removing pollen from honey and from surfaces is important, and different cleaning methods may be needed for various materials to effectively remove pollen without causing damage.
These are the two most common types of filters available for straining and filtering honey.
The metal filters are 1875 and 600 microns
The mesh bag filters are 600 microns
Adam Hickman owns Foxhound Bee Company and is a certified EAS Master Beekeeper. Before ever selling a box through Foxhound Bee Company, Adam wrote beekeeping blogs for education. Adam regularly teaches beekeeping classes through Foxhound Bee Co and also through his local beekeeping club.