How to properly store bee bread at home?

How to store bee bread? This is a question asked by many people who have encountered this product for the first time. In fact, such a matter needs to be treated with special attention. After all, its quality depends on how beebread is stored.

Storage conditions and periods

Perga, or bee bread, is a beekeeping product. Bees collect pollen, then treat it with their enzymes and place it in cells, and cover the top with wax. When the honeycomb is in the hive, oxygen does not enter it, and fermentation occurs inside. This way bee bread is enriched with lactic acid, which makes it a unique product. Bee bread is irreplaceable due to its composition. It is used in folk medicine to treat various diseases. But for this product to remain useful, it must be stored correctly.

How long bee bread will be stored depends on the conditions in which it is kept. Sealed naturally (namely by bees), this product lasts no more than one year. After all, thanks to the wax that insects use to seal the honeycombs, no air gets into the beebread.

During the process of extracting bee bread, its beneficial properties are lost within a few days. This product is very sensitive to temperature changes. The ideal temperature for it is 0–12 °C (it all depends on the storage method). Perga does not like moisture. If it sits in damp conditions for a day or two, you can throw it away. It is very difficult to achieve suitable conditions.

How to create good storage conditions for bee bread? The first rule is to use small, airtight containers. It will provide protection against mold. These can be containers or jars (it is advisable to choose containers with dark walls). Don't take too large a container. After all, it will have to be opened often, and this threatens that the product will deteriorate.

We've sorted out the container! But with temperature conditions it is more difficult if there is no special equipment. Many people use a regular refrigerator that has a cold regulator. But you should know that each shelf has a different temperature. Therefore, before you put bee bread in the refrigerator, you need to play it safe and find the ideal place for bee bread.

Sometimes beekeepers store their products in the basement. After all, there is a lot of it, and it does not fit in a regular refrigerator. But for this product, a basement is not a good option. In such rooms the humidity is too high, which is dangerous for beebread. In addition, in winter there is a risk that the temperature will drop below 0 °C, and, as a rule, there is no heating. But if the basement is heated, then this also becomes a problem. A sharp change in temperature and overheating of bee bread is death for it. Therefore, you should not store such valuable products in the basement.

Advice

It is necessary to avoid foreign odors in the place where beebread is stored.

Basic methods

At home, it is difficult to achieve an ideal climate for bee bread so that it retains its beneficial qualities for as long as possible. Year after year, beekeepers became more sophisticated and came up with new methods, and eventually came to the conclusion that there are only three ways to store this product. It all depends on what form the bee bread is in: granules, honeycombs or ground.

• Granules.

Bee bread in granules is considered the highest quality type of all three, as it undergoes thorough cleaning. Bee bread is taken from the honeycomb in a special way. In appearance, it resembles granules that are cleared of wax and dead, and then well dried. This type is considered the most convenient for storage at home. It is recommended to place granulated bee bread in bags or dark glass jars. In this form, bee bread can be stored even at room temperature. He's not very picky. The main thing is not to screw the lid all the way so that it is slightly open. This will allow air to flow into the product. Granulated bee bread should not be placed in the refrigerator. Humidity will cause mold growth.

• Honeycombs.

This is the most natural type of bee bread. For it, you need to choose a place where it will be dry and the temperature will not exceed 5 °C. You should also check the humidity level (maximum 75%). Bee bread in honeycombs does not last long, because it is susceptible to mold. Experienced beekeepers have found a way to help the honeycombs last a little longer: it is necessary to fill the beebread in the honeycombs with honey. This way there will be no air access to the bee bread. After all, bees do not always seal it hermetically with wax. To prevent damage to the product by wax moths, you need to place a container with vinegar in the room where the beebread is stored.

• Bread paste.

This type is sometimes called ground bee bread. It is obtained this way: beebread is crushed in honeycombs, and then honey is added to it, the share of which should not exceed 1/3 of the total mass. The paste should be stored in a clean container in a cool, dry place (2–4 °C). It should not be allowed to be exposed to sunlight.

Now we know how to store bee bread at home.This will require a lot of effort, but it's worth it. After all, bee bread is an excellent remedy for treating many diseases.