Does Bee Pollen Expire?

Does bee pollen expire? That is the most asked question about bee pollen; I will answer it here.

Given the right conditions, raw bee pollen goes bad or expires like all foods.

Still, there are several things we have to consider for its shelf life, like how fresh it is, how much moisture it has, how long it has been sitting, and if it was exposed to environmental conditions for an extended period.

Let’s dig in, and if you are interested in a trustworthy source of Bee Products, including bee pollen, visit our Store on Amazon.

Contents hide

1 FAQs

2 Fresh Bee Pollen

3 Dehydrated bee pollen granules

4 How long does bee pollen last?

5 Should bee pollen be refrigerated?

6 Is flavor an indicator of quality?

7 So, what does bee pollen taste like?

8 What about the smell?

9 What is Bee Bread?

10 Where can I get high-quality and fresh bee products?

FAQs

Can you freeze bee pollen?

If the pollen is fresh, it needs to be frozen; if it is already dehydrated, it can be stored at room temperature. Frozen bee pollen has an extended shelf life, and its nutritional value is unaffected.

Does propolis expire?

Propolis is a whole different product, and it does not expire, however, read this post to learn more about it.

What is fermented bee pollen?

Fermented bee pollen or bee bread is the natural process worker bees do to the flower pollen inside the cells through lactic acid bacteria to break down the hard outer layer of the microscopic grains and access the nutrients inside.

How are bee pollen granules collected?

Beekeepers use a pollen trap or collector to “rob” the bees entering the hive from the field loaded with flower pollen. Read more on this here.

Fresh Bee Pollen

As explained in Part 1 of Bee Pollen´s health benefits, it is considered “Fresh bee pollen” as soon as it is collected from the hive. At this point, bee pollen has a high moisture content, around 25%.

If given enough time and the right conditions, that is enough for bacteria and fungus to proliferate on bee pollen.

If you want freshly collected bee pollen to last, it has to be frozen. Frozen bee pollen can be used on all your food preparations, but it has to be put back in the fridge after every use.

A bowl of yogurt with nuts, honey and HummingBee

Dehydrated bee pollen granules

To better keep and preserve this product, a dehydration process is the best bet to extend its shelf life. Dehydration reduces the moisture content to around 10%, so harmful microorganisms do not grow, and you can keep the product for a long time.

A general concern with dehydration and a valid one is if this procedure reduces or modifies the bee pollen’s nutritional quality. It all depends on the temperature and time the product spends to dehydrate.

Research has shown that most of its nutritional content is unaffected if the dehydration falls below 122ºF (50ºC).

As a consumer, it isn’t easy to know if the manufacturer kept your product’s process temperature under the recommended value.

That is why you must get your product from a trustworthy source like HummingBee Bee Products.

How long does bee pollen last?

Natural raw bee pollen´s shelf life is long under adequate conditions before it spoils; however, you should eat it daily as part of a healthy diet, so it shouldn’t last long sitting in your kitchen.

Check Part 2 of the Health Benefits of Bee Pollen to learn why you should eat it daily.

If the bee pollen is fresh (not dehydrated), it can be kept in your freezer for up to 6 months as long it is in a resealable bag or jar.

On the other hand, dried or dehydrated bee pollen can be stored at room temperature for up to a year as long as you keep it away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures and you reseal the bag after taking a portion of the product to use in your favorite protein shake or smoothie.

Jar and bowl of granola, yogurt and bee pollen, HummingBee

Should bee pollen be refrigerated?

Regarding bee pollen storage, as long as bee pollen is dehydrated, it does not need refrigeration. It can be kept at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

Refrigeration or freezing is only needed when the bee pollen is fresh.

Is flavor an indicator of quality?

Flavor could be a good indication to know if your product is still eatable or not in case the product looks fine visually. In this case, you would look for off-flavors, like a rancid taste or something just off-putting.

However, it is essential to consider that bee pollen can vary widely concerning taste. It can go from quite bitter to very sweet; it depends on which region and plants the adult bees collect the natural pollen from.

Now, if it tastes awful, the chances are that it has spoiled.

So, what does bee pollen taste like?

Bee pollen taste differs from anything you´ve ever tasted if you’ve never had it. However, as seen above, it can´t have strong off-flavors as it could be a sign that it went bad.

Bee pollen should taste mildly sweet, a bit earthy, and it will remind you of flowers. Bitterness could be present, and it is not necessarily a sign of expired pollen.

It could be that its botanic origin yields that type of pollen. If the bitterness is too strong, it might have gone bad and should be discarded.

Check our video on the basics of bee pollen

What about the smell?

On the other hand, the smell can be a clear indicator of expired pollen or a “throw-away now” product. It has to smell fresh, flowery, and sweet. Do not use it if it doesn’t smell like so and has a bad smell. Period.