The quality of honey affects the success of its sale. Quality depends on moisture and sugar content. The presence of one of the devices that beekeepers and product receivers need to have - a refractometer for honey - will help them control its quality. Let's consider the operating principle and design of the device, what types there are. How to choose the right device and configure it.
What it is?
This is a special device that optically determines the amount of moisture and sugar in honey, sugar syrup, and molasses.Identifies the density of these liquids under any environmental conditions. The device can operate with or without a power source.
To correctly determine the mass fraction of moisture in a bee product, you need to calibrate the device.
Design and principle of operation
The device consists of several parts:
- A prism, which is an optical element (a drop of honey is applied to it). Made from a material that has a high refractive index.
- Protective glass. It is lowered onto the prism, the glass presses the product under study.
- Calibration screw. The screw is on an inclined cut. It can be used to calibrate the device. The screw is turned with a small screwdriver, the dividing line is set at the required mark.
- Blue optical lenses. They refract light (natural or artificial).
- Bimetallic plate. It is built inside the device to change its characteristics when the temperature fluctuates.
- Scale. There may be several of them in one device. When the beam hits the scale, one part will be illuminated with light, the other will remain dark.
According to GOST, the moisture content in honey should be in the range of 18.5-21%. This indicator is typical for a quality product. If this level is less than 18%, then the honey is too viscous. If the humidity is above 21%, then under such conditions yeast can develop in it, they will process sugar, which will reduce the sugar content. Fermentation processes can also develop in wet honey.When this happens, the product may become unusable.
It is impossible to estimate by eye how much moisture there is in honey, because this indicator differs slightly in different types of honey.
Types of refractometer
The device may be intended for laboratories, in which case it is heavy and large. An industrial type refractometer device is built into technological installations and operates automatically.
The portable refractometer is designed for personal use, compact, and is purchased by beekeepers. It can be produced in two types: digital and manual. The first ones are equipped with LCD screens, run on batteries, and can measure several product characteristics at once. Hand-held instruments do not have electronic circuits, but they are cheaper and perform fairly accurate analyses.
Selection rules
There are many models of portable refractometers available. They have different designs and characteristics. When choosing, you should take into account the parameters of the chemical composition of honey, molasses, and syrup. To study these products, the device must determine moisture and sugar content. You also need to take into account the Brix scale values. For honey they should be 87%, 45-82%, 58-92%.
Instructions for use
First you need to calibrate the device. Then take a sample of honey from a jar or honeycomb. If it has crystallized, you must first heat it in a water bath to a temperature of 40 degrees, then cool it to room temperature and stir.
Open the protective glass and apply a thin layer of liquid honey (2-3 drops) onto the prism so that there are no bubbles left. Cover the glass again to create an even layer. Clean up any spillage around the edges with a soft cloth.
Leave the refractometer for 30 seconds until the temperature of the sample and the prism are the same.Do not change the position of the calibration screw. Now you can use it. Turn the device towards the light source - a lamp or the rays of the sun. You can see the result in a monocular; the humidity level will be marked by the border of light and darkness on a white-blue scale.
Calibration of the refractometer is carried out in the same way, but instead of honey or syrup, pure distilled water is used. When, after light hits the prism, part of it becomes light and the other dark, you need to set the screw so that the transition between the zones is at 0 or 78.4%. Dry the prism with a dry soft cloth before use.
Optimal performance
According to different scales, you need to configure the refractometer device as follows:
- The indicators should be within 12-27%. This is the moisture content of honey or other product.
- Brix (Brix). Determines the sugar content, it should be 58-90%. Determining the sugar content is simple; if the resulting value is 80%, then 100 g of the product contains 80 g of sugar.
- Baume (Bome). Determines the density of the liquid. Distilled water has a density of 0Be (at 15 degrees), 15Be is equal to the density of a 15% saline solution.
For accurate measurements, it is important that the temperature of the sample and the prism be equal. The device should not be wet; drops of moisture inside and on the prism are unacceptable. After use, wipe the refractometer and prism with a dry cloth; do not use abrasive cleaning agents. Store only in a dry place.
A refractometer should be purchased by every beekeeper who wants to control the quality of their products. After all, it is better to buy and store high-quality honey that will not spoil due to high humidity.
