Honey

Honey is a unique natural product with a composition rich in nutrients.

The pleasant sweetness, aroma and healing properties have been used for centuries to strengthen the body and support the immune system.

In order for honey to retain its valuable properties and not spoil, it is important to organize its proper storage at home.

Conditions

Storage of honey depends on the container chosen and the conditions created for containing the product. The choice of storage location should be given special attention. You can find out about the storage conditions and temperature of honey Here, maintaining the product at home - here.

Place

For storing honey A place protected from light with a low level of humidity (up to 60-75%) is suitable..

The exact maximum permissible values ​​depend on the flowers from which the nectar was collected, so it is advisable to ensure a low level of humidity for all varieties of products.

It is optimal to keep supplies in a closed cabinet, which is in a cool place, in a pantry or in the basement.

Another requirement for the storage location for honey reserves is the absence of strong odors.. In an undesirable proximity, the product may either lose its aroma or change it to an unpleasant one. Where is the best place to store honey? here.

Can it be stored in the refrigerator?

A regular refrigerator is not the best storage place because it has too high a humidity level. The exception is devices with the No Frost system.

Can you store honey in the refrigerator? this article.

Cellar, basement

The cellar and basement can be used as storage space if suitable conditions are provided there. The room must be sufficiently dry, and the lights in it should be turned off when leaving.

Pantry

Using a pantry is a suitable option, if it is not humid and not too warm. An additional requirement is that it should not have windows.

Closet

After packaging, honey must be placed in a suitable place for storage. In a city apartment, this could be a storage room or closet, for example, in the hallway. The kitchen is less suitable as a storage organization, since fluctuations in humidity and temperature very often occur in this room.

Balcony

Balcony can be used for storing honey, but with reservations. If it is open, then in the warm season its temperature is too high, and in winter it is too low.

Even if your supply storage box is well insulated, it may not be enough. A similar problem applies to loggias with cold glazing.

Temperature

For products that are sensitive to conditions, the best temperature is 6-20°C. At higher values, honey begins to lose its properties, at lower values, it begins to harden.

It can tolerate negative temperatures. Honey, of course, will become hard, but will retain its beneficial qualities.The only limitation is that the temperature should not be lower than -20? C.

Honey freezes completely at a temperature of -36°C with a natural decrease in volume by a fifth of its original volume. Will it be possible to store honey in the cold? this article.

Capacity

The container that is selected for storing honey must be dry and clean. If there are remnants of a product from last year’s harvest or any other in the container, they need to be removed, and wash the container, dry it, and only then use it. Otherwise, fermentation will begin, which, in turn, will lead to spoilage of the entire volume of the product.

Read about suitable containers for storing honey in this article.

Metal

Metal containers for storing honey are used extremely rarely. Stainless steel can be chosen as a container, but many metals are prohibited due to oxidation.

Not suitable for storing honey reserves utensils made from the following materials:

• lead;
• copper;
• zinc;
• iron.

This is due to the fact that the honey will begin to react with them. As a result, the taste of the product deteriorates. As a result of such interaction, inventory damage may occur.

Clay

Pottery suitable for long-term storage of honey products. It provides protection from sunlight and prevents the contents from coming into contact with other products. The pottery must be of high quality and free from damage - cracks or chips.

Glass

Glass jars are the best option for storing honey. Glass is environmentally friendly, does not react with the contents, and does not emit any substances.

The disadvantage of glass containers is fragility and transparency. Because of this, it is important to choose the storage location especially carefully and handle the jars with extreme care.

If you have a choice, it is recommended to give preference to containers made of darkened glass.

Tree

With wooden barrels, which in the old days were used for honey, not everything is clear. Depending on the type of tree the container was made from, the product may change its taste, aroma and even color.

Eg:

1. A pine barrel will give honey a pine aroma.
2. Oak will cause the product to darken.
3. Aspen will make the product bitter, etc.

Best options:

• beech;
• Linden;
• birch.

Plastic

In some cases it is also possible to use plastic utensils for storing honey, but with some caveats:

1. The plastic must be certified and have markings on the body.
2. Honey should not be aged for longer than one year.

With longer storage, the active substances included in honey products begin to react with the components contained in the material of such a container. This can not only affect the taste of the product, but also make it unsafe for health.

If there is no urgent need to use plastic containers, it is advisable to give preference to glass, as it is safer and more environmentally friendly. Read more here.

Methods

For long-term storage of the product, a clean and dry container with a secure lid is suitable. Vessels of various sizes can be used, depending on their characteristics for honey products.

Most often the product is kept in its pure form. In addition, it is prepared in other variants:

• with beebread;
• with propolis;
• with cones;
• with nuts, etc.

Deadlines

There are no clear shelf life for a product such as honey.

On average, without loss of properties and reduction in quality, the product can be kept from 10 to 24 months when placed in an airtight container, and no more than 8 months if the container is not airtight.

The rules for organizing the storage of honey are set out in GOST R 54644-2011, the label must comply with the requirements of GOST R 51074. He will tell you about the shelf life of honey at home this publication.

Selection and tightness of containers

In sealed glass containers, the shelf life can be up to two years. If the container is opened, the product should be consumed within a couple of months.

Original quality

The better the quality of honey, the longer it can be stored. Low quality products can spoil very quickly - even before the new season.

Availability of additives

In the presence of various additional components (for example, nuts), the shelf life of honey is reduced. In this case, it is not advisable to store it for more than a year.

Collection time and conditions

Honey collected by bees under unfavorable weather conditions has a shorter shelf life. These include autumn, as well as the dry period of summer.

Temperature indicators

In stable conditions at air temperatures up to +20? C, honey can be kept for up to 2 years. If storage conditions change, the shelf life is reduced.If possible, it is advisable to store honey no longer than until the next season and a new harvest.

Natural in honeycombs

Storing in honeycombs is one of the popular ways to store the product. The requirements for containers and storage conditions will be approximately the same as for a liquid honey product.

The honeycombs are divided into separate parts taking into account the size of the selected dishes and carefully placed in a dry container.

In order for the products to be stored longer and better, it is advisable to pour the contents with honey and close the lid. To maintain the consistency of the product in the honeycombs, it is advisable to keep it at a temperature of +3 to +10°C. Read more Here.

Crystallization

Crystallization is the normal state of honey during storage. The reason for this process may be:

• storage at low temperatures;
• the influence of floristic composition - the type of flowers from which the honey was collected;
• additional processing of the product, introduction of impurities;
• degree of product maturity;
• water in the composition, etc.

The top layer begins to sugar up first. It consists of glucose crystals that are not covered with intercrystalline liquid. They have a lighter shade than the bulk of the contents of the container. If you carefully mix all the honey and move it to a slightly warmer place than before, the sugaring will occur more slowly or even the honey will remain liquid-viscous. Details - in this article.

Damage

If the maintenance rules are violated or the quality of the product is low, it can deteriorate even if it has not been stored for very long.Honey is not prone to mold, but it can ferment if it contains pathogenic microorganisms.

This can happen in the following cases:

• the packaging is not sealed;
• storage containers are dirty or contain remnants of old honey;
• a dirty or wet spoon is used for applying and mixing;
• the product is exposed to sunlight;
• high humidity in the storage area;
• the air temperature at the storage location is too high;
• low quality of the product, etc.

Spoilage can be determined by a change in consistency, an unpleasant odor, the appearance of foam on the surface, or a change in taste to bitter. If honey has spoiled, it will have to be thrown away - it cannot be processed. Read more here.

Delamination

Honey separation is one of the signs of spoilage. If the lid is not closed tightly or the product is exposed to sunlight or water, the fermentation process may begin.

This requirement applies not only to basement dampness, but also to increased humidity in the kitchen., in which pots of water are boiled or organizing supplies on an open balcony, where this indicator can become higher than the recommended standards during rain or fog.

If the honey has simply begun to become partially sugared, this is not a reason to get rid of the product. It will be enough to just mix it. Read more Here.

Darkening

Darkening of honey can be due to several reasons. One of them is the wrong choice of containers to contain the product.If it is a metal container, then it begins to react with the product, and some types of wood can also affect the shade.

If the honey is liquid, but at the same time quite dark, this sign may indicate that the product has been heated, and even overheated. This technique is sometimes used by unscrupulous sellers to give it fluidity.

If honey is overheated, it will become liquid again and slightly brownish. There is a high probability that the amount of nutrients in it, including vitamins, will partially decrease. This can happen when heated above 40°C. Another sign of overheating is the loss of the characteristic smell of honey by the product or its significant weakening.

Please note that some varieties of honey products are darker, while others are lighter.. This is due to the flowers from which nectar was collected. Read more here.

Product falsification

Flowing honey that has not been sugared for years may indicate that the product is not natural. One of the reasons is feeding the bees with sugar syrup. This technique is used by unscrupulous beekeepers to obtain a larger volume of the final product without any effort.

It is very difficult to identify a fake, since the composition of the product is almost the same, just like a completely natural product. If the bees practically did not collect nectar from flowers, but ate syrup, then the honey will not contain all the variety of useful substances - microelements, vitamins and minerals.

A counterfeit product can also be stored for a long time, and practically without crystallizing. Even as it thickens, it becomes not hard, but plastic.

Conclusion

Honey is a healthy natural product that is widely used in its pure form, and is also included in pies fillings, added to honey cakes, etc. In order for the product to retain its qualities, pleasant aroma and characteristic taste, it is important to store it correctly.