ok to eat commercial foundation?

[angeJ]

Is comb ok to eat if the foundation came from a bee equipment supply company rather than built by the bees? I have a very small surplus to a full super, which is for the bees, which would probably get lost in extraction.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes

 

[angeJ]

be thanks

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

might be a little thicker/chewier than 'bee made' comb but I use commercially made foundation in my cut comb frames.

 

[angeJ]

I think it's only clean rendered beeswax anyway isn't it - mine wasn't the premier just the standard sheets

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I only ever use standard

 

[itma]

Is comb ok to eat if the foundation came from a bee equipment supply company rather than built by the bees?

It should be perfectly (human) edible -- except for any reinforcing wire!

For cut comb production (where the wax is intended to be eaten), the same wax is used. BUT you would buy it in the "thin, unwired" configuration.

 

[victor meldrew]

If cut comb is the intended aim you couldn't do better than thin unwired foundation.
VM


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ratcatcher]

If cut comb is the intended aim you couldn't do better than thin unwired foundation.
VM

yes you could, by not using any full sheets of any foundation and just have a 1" starter strip, the comb is then 100% made by bees

 

[Elaine]

Sorry to hi-jack the thread, but I was thinking of going with only a 1" starter strip on the brood frames next year as I don't expect to be putting them in an extractor. I was a bit concerned that if I did the same for the supers, they may not be strong enough to withstand extraction.

 

[angeJ]

I'm a total novice but I have read that that non wired foundation (bee built or not) is much more likely to collapse in extraction

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

BUT you would buy it in the "thin, unwired" configuration.

I thought the wire was there as instant floss, to get the damned wax from between the teeth. Am I wrong?


Dusty

 

[Ely]

I don't understand why people pay more to get wax stuck in teeth. I would understand if it was the cheaper option to the more labour intensive to produce jar honey

 

[Swarm]

Main reason as I see it is the honey is untouched. One of my customers found the honey in cut comb more intensely flavoured than the jars. Same batch of honey btw.

 

[ratcatcher]

I don't understand why people pay more to get wax stuck in teeth. I would understand if it was the cheaper option to the more labour intensive to produce jar honey

I heard from my Polish workmate that some countries water down their honey to make more money, therefore cut comb is preferred as it cannot be tampered with, 100% honey-wax as nature intended so to speak,

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'm a total novice but I have read that that non wired foundation (bee built or not) is much more likely to collapse in extraction

Not much.
I have non wired super frames, bee built and from thin foundation that have failed the cut comb test and have been spun out, (they actually get stronger every year)
You should spin carefully remembering that if you have a tangential extractor the first spin will try to push honey from full cells through to the other side.
I've never blown an unwired frame, husband, on the other hand, destroyed a whole extractor full of wired frames.

 

[Jamieb]

Cut comb test?

 

[Dishmop]

ok to eat commercial foundation?

Its better with honey on it...

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cut comb test?

I should have said MY cut comb test
An even comb with little or no pollen in it.

 

[enrico]

I use one thin non wired foundation in each super. That becomes my chunk for chunk honey if I want it or a bit of comb if I want that. The rest of the frames in the super are normal wired for extraction.
E