Honey extraction
Spinning honey out of uncapped combs by centrifugal force in an extractor.
Honey extraction is a way to take honey out of the combs by centrifugal force. Uncapped frames spin in an extractor, and the honey is flung from the cells onto the wall of the drum. The combs usually stay whole. The result is extracted honey under Directive 2001/110/EC.
Extractors range from manual 2-frame models to motorised units that empty more than 12 supers at a time; commercial plants more often use radial machines for 24–72 frames. Honey comes out faster and more completely when warm, but combs soften and may break, so extraction should not exceed 30 °C. The honey is then cleaned: by settling (wax and air bubbles float up, and at 25–30 °C this takes a few days) or by straining through screens or nylon mesh.
Why this matters to you: the less honey is heated, the more of its aroma substances stay: according to FAO, the loss grows with temperature and duration of heating. Plain straining removes wax and debris but leaves the pollen; from 14 June 2026 honey from which pollen has been significantly removed counts as baker’s honey in the EU.
Facts
| Temperature | Extraction not above 30 °C |
|---|---|
| Duration | Settling at 25–30 °C takes a few days |
| House range | Extractors: from manual 2-frame to 24–72-frame machines |
| Legal basis | Directive 2001/110/EC: extracted honey |
How it connects to Honey & beekeeping
Honey extraction → kind of → How honey is made and stored → kind of → 🍯 Honey
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Frequently asked questions
How does an extractor work?
Uncapped frames spin and centrifugal force flings the honey from the cells onto the drum wall; the combs stay whole.
What temperature is right for extraction?
FAO advises not to exceed 30 °C: warmer honey flows faster, but combs soften and break.
How is extracted honey cleaned?
By settling, when wax and bubbles float up (a few days at 25–30 °C), or by straining through screens or nylon mesh.
How big can extractors be?
From manual 2-frame models to motorised units for more than 12 supers; commercial plants mostly use radial machines for 24–72 frames.
Is it true that extracted honey is an industrial honey with additives?
No. It is ordinary honey obtained by centrifuging; nothing may be added to honey, and uncapping and straining do not change its composition.
Similar
Honey ripening · Uncapping · Storing honey · Creaming honey · Honey crystallisation
Sources
- Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey (consolidated text, EUR-Lex)
- FAO, Value-added products from beekeeping, Chapter 2 Honey (2.6 harvesting and processing)
- Codex Alimentarius, Standard for Honey CODEX STAN 12-1981
- Directive (EU) 2024/1438 amending Directive 2001/110/EC (EUR-Lex)