How to test the quality of propolis?

Today, let us to introduce how to make the testing to check the quality of the propolis.

To test propolis, you must first pass the sensory test, and further qualitative or quantitative tests can be done, and physical and chemical analysis tests can be done if necessary. Propolis sensory test methods are as follows:

1. Eye view: Take propolis to a sunny place to observe its state structure, color and impurities. Propolis is an opaque solid block or slag at room temperature.

A. Excellent propolis has a smooth surface, a compact fracture surface, a black marble pattern, brownish-yellow or brownish-red, glossy, and no obvious impurities;

B. The surface of the better quality propolis is smooth or rough, the fracture surface structure is tight and different, sandy, tan with turquoise, poor luster, no obvious impurities;

C. Propolis with poor quality has rough surface and broken surface structure, with obvious impurities such as propolis residue, sawdust, hemp silk and other inclusions, and the color is gray-brown and dull.

A small number of propolis are dark in color, similar to black. Those with special color should be cautious when purchasing, and it is best to do chemical analysis and identification.

2. Smell propolis with your nose. Open the propolis block and sniff it immediately, pure propolis has a lovely aromatic smell. Another method is to take a small sample of propolis and put it on a glass plate and ignite it. When the propolis burns, it emits the smell of resinous frankincense.

3. Taste propolis with your mouth. When propolis is tasted by mouth, it tastes bitter and slightly spicy. If there is rosin or foul odor, there may be impurities in it, which should be identified by chemical analysis.

4. Twist propolis by hand. Propolis is viscous, it becomes soft at 20-40°C, and becomes hard below 20°C. The superior propolis has a softer texture by hand-twisting, and the poor-quality propolis is harder by hand-twisting.

The above shows how to test raw propolis, and then we show how to identify the quality of propolis soft capsules.

Usually, the propolis will be the dark coffee color. The color will be deeper, it means the content of the propolis and the flavonoid will be higher. As we all know, the propolis is the resin was collected by the bees then bred them. So the deep color, shows that the resin source be collected will be rich, so the propolis quality will be better. The good propolis shows the dark coffee color, looks shiny, also is not easy to spread.

The second one, the good propolis will be easy to dissolved in the water, so it will be easy to absorb by human beings. Put same amount water into this two cups. Then put this 2 different propolis liquid inside. Stir it. You will see, this one, the better propolis capsule will be easy to dissolved in the water.

Propolis has the anti-oxidant function. We all know, iodine Tincture is a strong oxidant. Starches will turn to blue color when exposed to iodine. Steamed bread is rich in starch, let me put it into this two cups. The bread in the cup will changed to the dark blue color, then put in the propolis liquid, the bread will change to the white color, to show the propolis have the strong antioxidant function.

These methods just showing the different testing to check the propolis is real or fake. You could check by yourself, different kinds of the models in the market.