And at times, Mr. Matheson concludes, it is impossible for bees to dry honey adequately. Although Mr. Matheson did not mention it, when the bees fail to take out the moisture, it may be time for the beekeeper to step in. Honey producers in Canada have been leaders in developing methods to dry honey in storage. Many even take the crop before it is capped and finish the drying job indoors. I published a resume of one technique in the fact sheet number ENY 130 entitled Moisture in Honey .
Copies are still available on request.
Unfortunately, testing for these materials is somewhat expensive, particularly for developing countries. And sometimes basic analyses for sucrose content, even water content, are beyond the reach of some agencies. This could all change, however, thanks to work reported by J. D. Kerkvliet of the Netherlands, Mr. Matheson says. After they were implemented in Nepal, there was significant improvement in honey quality. Mr. Matheson thinks those that analyze for pollen and enzyme levels are especially valuable tests that almost anyone can use to advantage.