Skip to Main Content

Food science and entomology collaborate to produce Boiler Bee Honey

There are a number of food products produced by groups within the College of Agriculture, from the Department of Food Science’s Boiler Black and Boiler Gold beers to all the proteins supplied at the Boilermaker Butcher Block. Soon, fans of Purdue University consumables will have another item to add to their pantries: honey.

The departments of Food Science and Entomology have collaborated on Boiler Bee Honey, collected from bees in the Purdue apiary and processed and bottled in the food science pilot plant. The product has been minimally processed to allow consumers to see and taste the honey in its purest form. Proceeds from Boiler Bee Honey will support research in food science and entomology.

The honey bees responsible for this nectar fed on wildflowers, which produces a rich and dynamic flavor.

“They take a high level of care with the bees in the apiary, from the quality and type of flowers to the care of the bees,” said Eric Kurdelak, manager of the Pilot Plant. “And, of course, we have taken great care in processing the honey. This is a singular product.”

A key facet of this project is that it’s a student-driven initiative, Kurdelak added. Alyson McGovern, a sophomore in food science, has led the project from the honey’s extraction to its bottling. She has navigated every phase and challenge of the process, taking the honey from a raw ingredient to a shelf-ready product.

“The experience has been invaluable in terms of knowledge gained and in building my portfolio,” McGovern said. “When I’m applying for jobs, I’m going to have a physical product I can point to that I made happen. I might even take it to my interviews and put it on the table.”

Brock Harpur, assistant professor of entomology and project collaborator, said McGovern came in with very little knowledge of bees or honey, but she is now a bona fide expert.

“This is a wonderful way to demonstrate the collaborative work that can take place every day at Purdue and the opportunities we offer students,” Harpur said.

This isn’t a one-time event, Kurdelak added. The hope is to repeat this project every year and have the same project leader, in this case McGovern, training other undergraduates to take over after she leaves. With the proceeds, they will be able to support these students and improve the operation each year.

The inaugural batch processed this year produced roughly 3,000 bottles, taken from nearly 24,000 ounces of honey. The product is available at the Boilermaker Butcher Block on campus for $5 a bottle.

“I don’t know any place else where I could have this kind of hands-on experience,” McGovern said. “This is why I came to Purdue.”

Alyson McGovern, a sophomore in the Department of Food Science, works on filling bottles with honey in the Pilot Lab. (Photo by Tim Thompson.) Alyson McGovern, a sophomore in the Department of Food Science, works on filling bottles with honey in the Pilot Lab. (Photo by Tim Thompson.)

Featured Stories

Close up of tomatoes on a vine at Huffman and Hawbaker Farms near West Point, Indiana
Tomatoes, teamwork and transformation

When most people think of food science, they imagine chefs in test kitchens or technicians in...

Read More
Clément P. Bataille smiling with trees in the background.
Purdue names chair in environmental sustainability

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Clément P. Bataille has been appointed the Richard and Suzanne...

Read More
Visiting undergraduate students William Brandenburg and Caroline Cousins fish with Tyler Hoskins, research assistant professor of forestry and natural resources.
Monitoring “forever chemicals” in your favorite fishing holes

Tyler Hoskins and Andrew Todd of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources are studying...

Read More
Jose Pietri selects a cockroach to examine in the lab.
Studying how salmonella hitches a ride on cockroaches

Jose Pietri, the O. Wayne Rollins/Orkin Endowed Chair in Urban Entomology in the Department of...

Read More
Customers in a store at a cash register
Public understanding of food insecurity widely varies

The public’s familiarity with the term “food insecurity” and the Supplemental...

Read More
Barry Delks in the Animal Science building at Purdue
A legacy of service: honoring Barry Delks and his commitment to student success

Thirty-five years ago, Barry Delks returned to his alma mater, Purdue University, with one goal...

Read More
To Top