Propolis

[Apuuli]

I've got a few of questions about propolis tincture:

1) How many of you get contact dermatitis (an itchy red rash) from propolis or propolis tincture? (Both my fiancee and me get it pretty easily.)

2) If you make propolis tincture, how do you make it? (I put the propolis in the freezer, smash it into powder with a hammer, soak about 1 part propolis powder with about 2 parts ~75% ethanol, and strain into colored glass bottles.)

3) How do you label it?

4) How much do you sell it for?

[mpjourdan]

This has the best information I've found about propolis, its done by the UN, its also the best information I've found on all the other bee products.

VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS FROM BEEKEEPING

http://www.fao.org/docrep/w0076e/w0076e14.htm

I use a 96% alcohol made in Poland, and make a 20% tincure by pretty much following the recipe in the about link. The ratio your using is more propolis than the alcohol can extract. I sell honey at a farmers market, but have never sold a propolis tinture and have no intention of ever doing so, although I have gotten people propolis if they ask which is very rare. I've never had any reaction from use on my skin.

[mpjourdan]

Here's one more recipe basically the same as the "Method 1: Ethanol Extracted Propolis (EEP)" from the Value Added link above.

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~reute001/htm-files/Propolis%20extract.html