Valor agregado y calidad para los productos de la colmena : Protocolización del uso de una sala de extracción y el proceso de agregado de valor a la miel

Abstract

The beekeeping activity is fundamental in the preservation of the biological diversity of the environment since the bees when obtaining the food of the flowers encourage pollination. However, it presents some limitations for its development, such as low profitability, the impact of climate change, lack of product diversification and lack of formality in its actors, among others; In this context it is necessary to take full advantage of all the products of the hive and not only the commercialization of honey. It is a seasonal activity, which is essential to offer new products and increase the added value to the honey extraction process to achieve greater profitability and financial flow. Given the situation mentioned above, beekeepers in the region have developed strategies to diversify the products of the hive, which are developed in an artisanal way and without the corresponding qualifications. This work is the result of a pre-professional practice of the “Organic Vegetable Production Technique” (TPVO), carried out in the honey extraction and fractionation room, managed by the Apicultural Association of the Region. The objective is to protocolize the use of the room to prepare honey with added value and other products of the hive in prepared spaces and thus open the way to different certifications. To achieve this, a diagnosis was made of the initial situation, and participated in meetings and working days together with the producers, determining the current use of the room, the shape and working times. In parallel, the existing information was ordered and as a result, a “Manual of Good Manufacturing Practices” was written. This manual includes some procedures and instructions, Standardized Operational Sanitation Procedures (POES) and registration forms. In addition, a flow diagram was made for the extraction and packaging of honey and a plan was presented with the building modifications in the room to adapt it to the production of products derived from propolis. This work provides concrete tools to organize and standardize processes and improve production conditions. It is considered that this manual is highly applicable in the short term and is a very useful tool to avoid contamination and to be able to have a traceability of the product avoiding errors and bad manipulations.