Bee pollen collection is the apiary practice of fitting entrance traps to hives so that pollen pellets are stripped from returning forager bees, then gathered, cleaned and dried for sale as a food product.
In trade practice
Traps must be cleaned and emptied frequently to prevent fermentation; fresh pellets are dried promptly to a low moisture level to inhibit mould growth. Buyers specify moisture, protein content, botanical origin and microbiological limits, and request a certificate of analysis for each batch. Hygienic handling during drying and packaging is a common audit point, as contamination at this stage is difficult to reverse.
In a specification
A specification for bee pollen collection output typically states maximum moisture, minimum protein, absence of pesticide residues above limits set in applicable EU regulation, and microbiological criteria for total plate count and yeast and mould.