Age of Pollen Patties -- How Old is Too Old?

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Vance G
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Age of Pollen Patties -- How Old is Too Old?

Unread post by Vance G »

I just picked up six boxes of patties in Butte and have fed the first one. Your remarks on old patties are causing me a little anxiety. having fed the 15% pollen product for several years I know the difference between patties Fresh and patties carried to the fall! The lot I just picked up are sticking together and the paper ripping which is what my last season frozen ones do. I hope it is not as questionable to use them as you suggest.
Allen Dick
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Age of Pollen Patties -- How Old is Too Old?

Unread post by Allen Dick »

AFAIK, freezing pretty much stops the clock on aging. As far as aging of the patties themselves, I have no data. I do know that the dry ingredients are worthless after a year or two stored at room temp or higher.

We really do not have enough data. I have tried to get patty producers to time-stamp their boxes, but of course they are unwilling since the holding period is variable -- they have to produce a bit before the season begins --and also because dealers get stuck with product and don't want to have to discount or dump it. They should really sell it off at end of season, but there is not a lot of mark-up on patties.

You are likely safe if you got your product from the factory. They may have frozen some product from last year and, if so, it will still be roughly as good as the day it was frozen. My worry is that my patties were sitting around along time before they froze. I will have to check my records to see if the risk is worth it.

We really need more data on this question.
Allen Dick, RR#1 Swalwell, Alberta, Canada T0M 1Y0
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Allen Dick
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Re: Age of Pollen Patties -- How Old is Too Old?

Unread post by Allen Dick »

I had supper last night with Mike and Liz who run Global Patties. They have moved out to the country, about twenty minutes from me and near The Mill to which I often refer.

I asked Mike how old the oldest product he ships could possibly be, and he told me that, in Canada, three months is possible on occasion due to the need to build inventory ahead of the very short feeding season, but at the US factory it is always much less since the season is spread out over a longer period there and there is no need to produce in advance.

That is from the factories. Stocking dealers may not be as scrupulous and it is always wise to ask how old the patties you are buying are, and to time your purchases to when other beekeepers are buying and when new shipments arrive. I know of one dealer that held patties well beyond one year! IMO, they should have discounted them and blown them out the door a few months after they arrived. (This dealer charged excessively high prices and could have afforded to do so. Grrrr.)

Also, there is no savings in not using up your supply of patties each season. If you make your own patties, using any leftover soy, pollen, or yeast the next season is not wise.
Allen Dick, RR#1 Swalwell, Alberta, Canada T0M 1Y0
51° 33'39.64"N 113°18'52.45"W
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