Application of Geothermal Water for Honey Processing

Abstract

In the age of renewable energies, geothermal energy is playing a major role in society. It is a kind of energy which is not only used in industrial and commercial based sectors but also for the societal benefits. There are various direct as well as indirect applications of geothermal energy which includes agriculture, aquaculture, balneology etc. Honey processing is a new trend of societal benefits through geothermal energy. This paper includes the various aspects of apiculture including farming, processing and marketing. The paper deals with types of bees used in bee keeping projects, the constraints in bee keeping, types of crops used for pollination of bees, honey extraction, types of honey processing, and application and stages involved in honey processing through geothermal water. This paper mainly talks about the water bath method for honey processing in which the geothermal water is used for filtering of honey. The treatment process is performed in two stages: the first stage involves the treatment of honey for the period of 24 hours up to a temperature of 50oC. While the second treatment process take place at the temperature of 75oC. In these two stages the complete inactivation of enzymes takes place which leads to the honey purification.