Doh! Chunk honey slip up!

[Jimmys Mum]

Jarred up my first lot of chunk honey today....BUT.....forgot about the recommended 48hr freezing of the comb first to kill off any wax moth or braula eggs!

This comb was taken from the hive at the end of August and has been stored in a cool room in an airtight box since.

Given that it's been nearly 3 months in storage, if there were any viable eggs should I have seen some evidence of larvae by now or do you think it would still be a risk to sell these jars? It's only 9 jars so would not be a huge loss. However the discovery of a maggot in my chunk honey would clearly not get me many repeat customers

Any pearls of wisdom......? Apart from to do it properly next time!

 

[MuswellMetro]

Jarred up my first lot of chunk honey today....BUT.....forgot about the recommended 48hr freezing of the comb first to kill off any wax moth or braula eggs!

This comb was taken from the hive at the end of August and has been stored in a cool room in an airtight box since.

Given that it's been nearly 3 months in storage, if there were any viable eggs should I have seen some evidence of larvae by now or do you think it would still be a risk to sell these jars? It's only 9 jars so would not be a huge loss. However the discovery of a maggot in my chunk honey would clearly not get me many repeat customers

Any pearls of wisdom......? Apart from to do it properly next time!

if you used thymol (apiguard) last year i doubt you have braula

why i dont do chunk is it is a B*gger if the jar honey sets, it is unsalbale as you cannot re warm it becasue the wax melts

 

[Hivemaker.]

why i dont do chunk is it is a B*gger if the jar honey sets, it is unsalbale as you cannot re warm it becasue the wax melts

Only if you over heat it.

 

[Tom Bick]

Jarred up my first lot of chunk honey today....BUT.....forgot about the recommended 48hr freezing of the comb first to kill off any wax moth or braula eggs!

This comb was taken from the hive at the end of August and has been stored in a cool room in an airtight box since.

Given that it's been nearly 3 months in storage, if there were any viable eggs should I have seen some evidence of larvae by now or do you think it would still be a risk to sell these jars? It's only 9 jars so would not be a huge loss. However the discovery of a maggot in my chunk honey would clearly not get me many repeat customers

Any pearls of wisdom......? Apart from to do it properly next time!

You can put it in the freezer now I have been experimenting with some jars sitting in one at the moment along with some comb and recently some regular honey. You have to remember to take it out the evening before to defrost but from the look of things there seems to be no change to the honey. It's often mentioned in the past placing comb in the freezer but you can't beat experimenting for yourself so I would recommend you stick one ore two in the freezer for a couple of days then take them out to defrost before risking them all

 

[enrico]

Never put mine in the freezer. I just hold it up to the light. I have never seen a maggot! I always use my chunk honey foundation on a new frame. I put it on in mid lime flow so that it is drawn and filled in a week. Comes off really clean and fresh looking.
Go for it I say! After all they don't check for compila in chickens before they sell them!!!
E

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Thanks for the advice. I've put these 9 jars in the freezer now - But for next time, think will just do as per Enrico. At least with only 9 jars this batch can be used gifts for friends and neighbours rather than on sale to Joe Public!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Never put mine in the freezer. I just hold it up to the light. I have never seen a maggot! I always use my chunk honey foundation on a new frame. I put it on in mid lime flow so that it is drawn and filled in a week. Comes off really clean and fresh looking.
Go for it I say! After all they don't check for compila in chickens before they sell them!!!
E

 

[Erichalfbee]

Chunk is perfectly ok to heat to 40 degrees. Clears the honey leaving the wax intact. Ok to freeze in the jar too though I never bother. I've never spotted anything other than the odd cell of pollen in mine.

 

[masterBK]

Found a varroa mite in a jar of chunk honey at a show a few years ago. Be surprised to find any Braula as I don't think there are many (if any) surviving on the mainland these days (but still found in I.O.Man). Earwigs (and their poo!) sometimes found hiding in empty cells of cutcomb and so presumably could turn up in chunk honey if you don't check the chunks thoroughly before bottling them. Main risk is waxmoth eggs hence the freezing to kill them before they hatch.

 

[psafloyd]

You can put it in the freezer now I have been experimenting with some jars sitting in one at the moment along with some comb and recently some regular honey. You have to remember to take it out the evening before to defrost but from the look of things there seems to be no change to the honey. It's often mentioned in the past placing comb in the freezer but you can't beat experimenting for yourself so I would recommend you stick one ore two in the freezer for a couple of days then take them out to defrost before risking them all

I store mine in the freezer and have for the past few years. Best place for it and saves it getting damaged from an overly warm house/kitchen.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree with Tom. When I first did cut comb I put the "offcuts" for chunk ready in the jars and popped them in the freezer to add honey later. I didn't make too many this year so the honey was put in straight away. Some have crystallised and been melted successfully in the honey warmer.
It's not too popular this neck of the woods. People seem to like my soft set though