How long is bee pollen good for?

by Cary Anne M.

Does bee pollen have an expiration as far as losing it's strength? If so, how long is it good for? Should it be refrigerated? I was told no because it could become moldy? Also, is it safe for a pregnant person take it?

Angela's Response:

Bee pollen will last a year unrefrigerated. It does lose its potency over long periods of time but we're talking months and months. If you refrigerate it, or better yet, keep it in the freezer, it will last indefinitely and not lose much potency. Mold has never been an issue for our pollen as we air dry it to remove any moisture before packing. Mold is only an issue if exposed to moisture. Raw pollen fresh out of the hive is very moist and quite soft by nature but must be dried in order to maintain freshness upon packaging.

We are located in Toronto, Canada but source our pollen from all over North America.

Comments for How long is bee pollen good for?

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Jan 15, 2016
Storing Pollen
by: Anonymous

As you may know, honey has been used for millenia as a preservative and anti-septic. Aside from other compounds it may contain (honey from tea trees for example), honey is hygroscopic: it absorbs and holds moisture. This is the main reason it has been used as a preservative and wound treatment since ancient times: it absorbs the moisture released from wounds and thus inhibits the growth of bacteria. Honey from Egyptian tombs has been found still edible after thousands of years!

So, if moisture is the enemy of safe pollen storage, what better way to store pollen than mixed with honey? The honey absorbs any moisture in the pollen and bacteria, mold spores etc. are killed by this. Being mixed into liquid honey, the pollen is also relatively isolated from oxygen and so deterioration due to oxidization is inhibited if not prevented altogether.

In theory, mixing pollen with honey might even make pollen that has been stored improperly safe to eat, as the honey might well kill any bacteria or mold that has proliferated. Except in an emergency there would probably be no point in consuming such pollen, but it would be interesting to know if being mixed into liquid honey and then stored for some time would indeed sterilize contaminated pollen. Perhaps experimental work has already been done on this.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

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