Propolis has many healing properties, a medicine from the product can be prepared at home. But only experienced beekeepers can cleanse the product of unnecessary impurities. The intricacies of purifying propolis are discussed in this article.

How to collect propolis

First of all, beginners in beekeeping need to learn how to properly assemble the product. Uza or bee glue, as propolis is also called, is collected manually: it is scraped off with a small chisel or an equivalent object from the shoulders of the frames and from the folds.

In addition to the fact that the bees lay the bond on the framework, beekeepers use tricks to get more product:

• placed in a hive lattice;
• at the time of collection, the bees leave beads in the case - mesh sacks. After the filled canvas is placed in the refrigerator, the frozen propolis is easily separated;
• place small screens simulating holes in the case. Insects are sure to "cover up" the gap to insulate the home.

It is recommended to collect bee glue from July to August, inclusive - during this period it is considered the cleanest.

Important! The collection procedure should be stopped no later than 60 days before the wintering of the family. You can not leave insects without matter, otherwise they will die.

Why is product cleaning necessary?

When filling in cracks, bees use a mixture of propolis and wax. In addition, when collecting an improvised tool from the housing surfaces, dust, particles of wood and other debris get along with the product. Since a bond without impurities is used for medicinal purposes, it must be thoroughly cleaned. How to separate bee glue from impurities, we will consider below.

Purification sequence

Qualitative cleansing is divided into successive steps. First you need to remove all the debris from the product, and then proceed to cleanse the wax.

Garbage disposal

Large foreign particles, such as mummies of insects, chips, etc., are best removed immediately during collection. After collection, large debris is additionally removed by sieving through a sieve. Those particles of dirt that are not visible to the eye will be removed in the next step.

Wax separation

In pharmacology, the permissible content in beeswax glue wax is 20%. In a freshly collected product, wax impurities are about 50%. Such an amount of wax detracts from the healing properties of the bond, so it must be carefully filtered.

Did you know? The beekeepers recognized the breed of gray Caucasian bee as a record holder for the production of propolis.

Procedure Methods

Purification of propolis from wax and small particles of dirt is carried out by several methods.

Water cleansing

One of the easiest ways is to use ordinary cold water.

To carry it out, in addition to a container filled with water, you will need:

• fine mesh sieve;
• grater for vegetables;
• sheet of paper (you can take parchment).

1. Propolis is rubbed on a fine grater and placed in a container with water.
2. For a speedy process of separation from impurities, the mass is mixed.
3. All particles that have surfaced to the surface, including wax, are caught by a sieve.
4. The sieve is rinsed and the liquid remaining in the container is filtered, along with the bee glue that has settled on the bottom.
5. The final step is to place the crumb ties on paper and dry. After drying, the product is rolled up and packaged.

Cold screening

An effective, but a little time-consuming method used at home is screening with preliminary freezing.

Sequencing:

1. The ouza is rolled up into small balls and placed in a freezer for a day.
2. After the frozen product is rubbed on a fine grater and sieved with a fine mesh sieve.
3. As a result, the wax, which has turned into dust, will fly away, but propolis will remain, because it has a denser structure due to resins.
4. The remaining foreign particles should be screened over a piece of clean cloth.

Video: How to clean bee propolis from wax and impurities

In a water bath

Unlike honey, propolis is not afraid of heating, its medicinal properties will not change when using the method of melting in a water bath.

Process technology:

1. The grated bond is placed in a water bath with a water temperature of about + 80 ° C.
2. The mass is thoroughly mixed.
3. During heating, the heavier glue is separated from the wax. In this case, the wax mass will be liquidish, and propolis is collected by large grains.
4. The final stage of the procedure is screening.

Did you know? Ancient Mayan shamans actively used beekeeping products, including propolis in treatment. They worshiped bees, believing that such intelligent creatures have a soul.

2-step cleansing

The double cleaning method is used for the product collected on the canvas. Using a chisel to remove the bond from the canvas is problematic: you can damage the soft material, and besides, when pressed, it will bend, which will further complicate the process. For the procedure, you need a medical centrifuge. The first stage of the procedure consists of removing and grinding propolis, the second - directly from the cleaning.

Sequencing:

1. The canvas is placed in the freezer until it freezes.
2. After extraction, the canvas is set over a piece of fabric and, tapping on the material, remove the product. At the same time, propolis fragile under the influence of cold crumbles easily, and the wax remains on the canvas.
3. Propolis is ground and carefully sieved.
4. The product is placed in a centrifuge. During rotation, pure propolis gets into special bags on the windows at the bottom of the structure, and impurities remain inside the centrifuge drum.

After work, a logical question arises: how to wash dishes and grater from wax. Experienced beekeepers recommend boiling a container with a grater, dissolving soda ash or caustic soda in water. In this case, the wax will be saponified and collected into lumps, it must be washed off with boiling water, then wipe the dishes with a clean, dry cloth.

Definition of quality propolis

Unknowingly, you can purchase a contaminated or stale product that does not bring any benefit.

Quality Criteria:

1. The freshness of the bond is determined by a uniform color - red, brown or green. Too dark, almost black color indicates the old age of the substance.
2. Too light a shade indicates a large amount of wax in the composition.
3. It tastes like a fresh tart product with a bitter aftertaste.
4. When chewing, pure propolis will adhere to the teeth.

Important! When checking at home, dip a piece of the substance into the water: if it contains more than 50% of the wax, it will not sink.

Methods and conditions of storage

For long-term storage of the medicinal product, it is rolled into balls and wrapped in parchment, placed in a bowl with a tight-fitting lid. If it is a glass jar, then the glass should be dark. In the room where the bond will be stored, it should not be wet, the temperature is recommended from + 4 ° C to + 18 ° C.

The healing properties of a natural product are determined by the quality of its collection, purification and storage, therefore it is important for every beekeeper to know all the subtleties of the processes.