What do you do with the filter contents?

[TokerM]

I wasn't sure if this would have been better for the commercial forums, but I'd think that this question applies to 100+ hive operations too, so...

After extracting and straining, what is left is the microscopic wax particles and pollen, correct? (Assuming straining takes all big wax that can be easily rendered for post-production. Along with bee parts and propolis.)

When you then run the honey through filters, (for clarity, etc...), and if you use filters, (this doesn't apply to strained only honey,) what do you do with the filter contents? Is that discarded, or can it be used for pollen patties? (Also wondering about the transfer of FB if I use filter cake, is that killed at any particular temp that will keep honey edible for bees?) Any other refinement possibilities for that stuff?

[Fl_Beak]

we place in 5 gallon bucket, cover with water, add yeast, over time we calll it mead. Lift off clean debris, melt. Make candles or blocks of wax.

[theegb]

We package it up and sell it as "Bee Bits." Nothing like a patty of larva, bee parts, propolis, wax, and honey before dinner. I can't keep the stuff in stock.

[Roland]

Be careful. If you are removing pollen, in several states it can not then be sold as Honey. There are lawsuits in Florida and California I believe.

Otherwise, do as Flbeak says.

Crazy Roland

[TokerM]

Not so much high-pressure filtration, and I don't want this to devolve into a debate on straining/filtration/pollen content/etc... I'm thinking about the gunk that I would collect after straining if I would then filter it... let's say a friend wants me to extract a couple hundred hives, I get to keep cappings wax & honey and filter contents.

I'm assuming the filter contents would be mostly concentrated pollen and wax. Separate the wax as mentioned and you have a goo of "pollen concentrate" with a honey binder. Since I wouldn't be able to 100% verify possible FB infection, I can't give this back to bees. This is where I was wondering if there was a way to heat the honey to a temp that would kill FB, yet not burn the honey to a point the bees can't use it.

That's why I was wondering what the bigger guys did with all the cake they pull out of filters. Seems like there would be a large bit of leftover stuff there.

[Roland]

This is where I was wondering if there was a way to heat the honey to a temp that would kill FB, yet not burn the honey to a point the bees can't use it.

To the best of my knowledge, No. If my memory is correct, AFB spores can tolerate 180 deg F. I could be wrong.

It MIGHT be possible, with the proper flash heating, to heat above 180 F long enough to kill the spores, and then flash cool before HMF levels raise to high.

I still find it hard to believe you are catching pollen in your filter. What size is your filter?

Maybe the bigger guys use sedimentation first, and catch very little on the filters.

Crazy Roland