# Filtered honey?



## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

This is one of those issues that gets a lot of folks going. Many of us use some sort of material to catch the larger pieces of wax, bee parts, etc., that come out of the comb when we extract. When I extract, I use a stainless steel basket that looks something like a kitchen strainer that you'd use for pasta. And, for me, the key word is "strainer". Once my honey goes through that basket, it settles to let the air bubbles rise to the top and then I bottle it. Other people use a much smaller and finer "filter" and many honey processors force the liquid through a very fine mesh under pressure.

The issue is not clearing the honey of material, it's how fine you clear it before you pull out too much of the good stuff that many of us believe gives honey flavor and nutrients. I'm guessing that the rant was based on that issue.....straining vs. filtering.

Hope this helps.


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## seyc (Jul 15, 2012)

I have yet to harvest my honey (first year), and I was wondering what size of filter should I use, and what size of filter takes out all the pollen? I think that I would like something smaller than kitchen strainer because I would not like to have bee legs in my honey.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I usually do not strain honey. If I am demonstrating "crush and strain" I will run everything afterwards through the strainer after the crush is finished. I have found people that want natural local honey prefer the least processing and many will go elsewhere if you heat or strain it. We have a lot of organic sensitive customers around Alachua County.


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## Gord (Feb 8, 2011)

I coarsely strain my honey.
The thing about the filtering that people are "ranting" about is that if you filter too fine, you remove the pollen.
Without the pollen etc, the honey can not be proven to be honey.
Honey was/is being imported from China and other places with no pollen in the honey.
It could have other stuff in it.
You also can't prove where it originated (pollen would be examined to determine the plant it came from). 
It's also said that local honey can give you a little booster for allergies because it has all the local pollens in it.


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## dfortune (Aug 10, 2012)

Most strainers are from 200 to 600 microns. Some commercial guys filter their honey under pressure with a pump. These filters are about 50 microns and remove the pollen. I personally like the 600 microns because it is plenty efficient at removing wax slum and much faster than 200 micron strainers. If i remember right pollen greatly enhances honeys nutrients but also makes it taste slightly worse.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

I use a 5 gallon paint strainer bag in the 5 gallon bucket with a honey gate, that I drain the extractor into. I then bottle the honey from the bucket.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

There is coarse straining to get out the bee legs and wax. (like cheescloth or window screen)
There is filtering finer to get more of the wax and such out. (like 200-600 microns)
There is the filtering even finer to get the pollen out to prevent crystallization (50 microns or so)
Then there is ultra-filtering where they filter it so fine it really doesn't look like honey anymore, it looks like corn syrup... this is a product that is usually being shipped from China...


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

Straining versus filtering. Filtering implies to people that all pollen has been removed, even if it is not true. I prefer the word straining.

I use a 600 micron bucket strainer. Anything smaller takes longer and may require heating. 200 micron will reduce your pollen count by 5 percent. Honey going through a larger micron setting may also crystallize sooner. It depends on the pollen in the honey, therefore may. Mine up her always will and I tell people that it is normal and nothing to worry about.


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## Michael Pawelek (Jun 4, 2012)

Flower pollen is between 1/2 micron to 200 microns in diameter so even the 200 micron strainer sold by the bee supply places will let 99% of the pollen remain in the honey


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

I run mine through a nylon mesh paint filter to remove the wax flakes and bee parts. No other treatment, and yes, in a year or so it will crystallize if not consumed but I don't care.

I prefer the taste of unheated honey, personally.

The paint filter is finer than window screen or a kitchen strainer, but you can still see the holes. Honey goes through it pretty fast.

Peter


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## Kelbor (Apr 26, 2011)

Whats wrong with the Bees-Knees? 

Seriously though...Bee legs? Why would bees legs be in the honey. Is this a normal body part for bees to lose? I have never heard of this. I do, however eat meat so if there are tiny little bees knees in my honey AWESOME....free protein! I was under the impression that honey was basically nectar from a flower that a bee has eaten and then pukes back into the comb for storage - which is even stranger!


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

When you extract it is very usual to find dead whole bees and parts of bees (could be wings, could be any part of the bee) on the frames. Once they go in an extractor they get thrown to the outside wall with the honey. Then they slide down and out the honey gate. I wholesale much of the honey I produce and the buyer made it very clear he didn't want bees, whole or in part, in the honey I sell him. So unheated and lightly strained here.


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## wanderyr (Feb 11, 2012)

This was my first year extracting, and I used the 3-filter (3-strainer?) set from Mann Lake: 600, 400, then 200 micron. They nest together, so it goes through all at once. I had the room heated to about 92 degrees, and the honey drained from the extractor and through the strainers overnight.

Is this more processing than most hobbyists go through? I'm trying to keep my honey raw and natural


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