Agriculture Reference
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degree, which should be between 2.5 and 6%. Dry air heated to a temperature of 45° C
(113˚F) is forced through the pollen.
I have never collected much pollen but, when I did have a go at a small-scale production
for my own use, I employed a heating device that could be placed on a table (see Figure
33). The pollen was heated gently on several racks positioned above an element. This
device could also be used for drying fruit. Such devices are easy to operate but it is
essential that you keep checking the moisture content because on several occasions, I
burnt all the pollen.
Fig. 33. A pollen drier heated by an element
Drying pollen outside will not normally
dry it sufficiently for marketing. To air
dry, the pollen is spread about 20 mm
(¾ in) deep in shallow trays with wire
bottoms. The pollen should not, however, be placed in direct sunlight, although this is
exactly what I have seen done. It should also be protected from dust and debris, which
it normally isn't. (It may also have to be protected from bees.)
The moisture content of pollen can be determined easily by a pollen-moisture meter
(see Figure 34). These can be purchased from most bee-supply companies and, if you
are going to produce pollen for sale, you will need one of these. For those who don't
have access to a moisture meter, the following guidelines are often given to Australian
beekeepers: attempt to break a pollen pellet between your fingernails. If it does not
disintegrate and is difficult to break, the moisture content is between 2.5 and 5%.
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