Overview
ISO 24364:2023 - Royal jelly production provides requirements and guidance for the controlled, hygienic production of royal jelly. The standard covers production conditions, production process management, and storage and transportation of royal jelly, and is intended for application in commercial and artisanal beekeeping operations where royal jelly is harvested and prepared for the market.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Environmental requirements
- Foraging areas with diversified pollen and nectar sources are recommended.
- Working-room conditions: 15 °C to 30 °C and 60 % to 80 % relative humidity.
- Avoidance of pollution sources within the foraging area (examples and a 5 km cautionary buffer are described).
- Production site and hygiene
- Dedicated, food‑grade harvesting area (room/tent) with potable water and cold storage for harvested royal jelly.
- Regular disinfection of hives and equipment; elimination of old combs as needed.
- Restrictions on treatments
- No antibiotics or persistent pesticides may be used during production; use of treated wax is prohibited.
- Bee colony and nutrition
- Minimum colony strength: ~2 kg of adult worker bees (equivalent to eight fully covered Langstroth frames).
- Feeding permitted only as described with reference to ISO 12824:2016.
- Apicultural equipment
- Food‑grade materials for hives, frames, queen cell cups and harvesting devices. Queen cell cup dimensions: 9–11 mm diameter and depth.
- Clean, disinfected fridges/freezers on-site for immediate storage.
- Production process management
- Organization of queenright and queenless compartments, larval grafting, installation/removal of queen cell cups and frames, extraction, labeling, packaging.
- Sanitation, cleaning/disinfection protocols for staff and tools.
- Record keeping, traceability and marking (including an informative example log and delivery note in Annex A).
Applications and users
ISO 24364:2023 is useful for:
- Commercial and small‑scale beekeepers producing royal jelly for food, cosmetic or nutraceutical markets.
- Quality managers and food safety auditors implementing standardized royal jelly production systems.
- Regulators and certification bodies assessing compliance with hygienic production practices.
- Equipment manufacturers and packagers designing food‑grade harvesting and cold‑chain solutions.
Related standards
- ISO 12824:2016 - Royal jelly - Specifications (normative reference for product specifications and permitted food inputs).
- Editorial and procedural guidance referenced from ISO/IEC Directives for standards implementation.
By aligning with ISO 24364:2023, producers demonstrate adherence to recognized best practices for safe, traceable and market‑ready royal jelly production.