Let's ask beekeepers: should natural honey be candied during storage?

Honey is a thick, viscous and sweet natural product with a composition rich in nutrients. Over time, it most often crystallizes, acquiring hardness.

The question often arises to what extent such changes affect the quality of the product, and whether it is possible to influence this process.

We will explain further why honey does not thicken during storage and whether it should be candied.

Why does it crystallize?

Natural honey is a product that is flower nectar processed by honey bees.

On average it contains:

• about 20% is water,
• up to 80% - carbohydrates,
• there are also enzymes
• vitamins and other useful substances.

Sugars influence the sugaring process, present in the composition:

• glucose;
• sucrose;
• fructose.

As it thickens, the monosaccharides separate, forming a more solid mass. Depending on the size of the crystals formed, There are several types of product consistencies:

1. Coarse-grained, with a crystal size of 0.5 mm or more.
2. Fine-grained - with a crystal size of up to 0.5 mm.
3. Pasty - homogeneous in structure, so the crystals in it are practically indistinguishable.

There are several reasons why nectar collected by bees crystallizes:

1. The air temperature at the storage location is below +5°C.
2. Type of flowers. Nectar from some types of flowers is candied faster.
3. Frequent and/or intensive mixing of the product.
4. The ratio of water and glucose in the product composition. If glucose is 30% and water is 16%, then the thickening process is intense and fast.
5. Additional processing of products during packaging.
6. High air humidity in the storage area.
7. Product maturity.
8. The ratio of fructose and glucose in the product. The first is sweeter and not prone to forming crystals, the second is.

Crystallization does not lead to a reduction in nutrients in the product.

Why doesn't it freeze?

Natural flower nectar almost completely thickens over time. and becomes quite hard. If this does not happen, you need to look for the reason.

Overheat

In order for the honey to remain flowing and liquid, it can be slightly warmed up. When it is overheated, it loses its ability to crystallize.

Its consistency may remain liquid, acquiring a brownish tint of varying degrees of intensity.

A significant disadvantage of overheating is the loss of the product’s unique beneficial qualities.. It is possible to determine that it has overheated by smell - the characteristic aroma will either be completely lost or become very light.

Some types of honey initially have a brown tint (chestnut, buckwheat), so the color of the product is not a defining sign of overheating.

Lack of naturalness

Fake natural honey can remain liquid for years.This situation is possible when the product is diluted, starch, dyes and other ingredients are added that should not be in the composition.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the products sold in the store, most often such honey remains in a liquid state even many months after purchase. The reason is the absence of natural sugars, which are fructose and natural glucose.

Improper storage

Honey has the ability to absorb odors and moisture. One of the rules for keeping this product is to keep it in a dry place. If for some reason the honey was stored improperly and absorbed moisture, it may not be candied. The second side of the coin is that the product can ferment.

The optimal temperature for long-term storage of honey reserves should be in the range from +6 to +20°C. The higher the temperature, the longer the honey continues to remain syrupy. At the same time, at high temperatures, the process of loss of beneficial properties of the product begins, including a decrease in the amount of vitamins.

Containers for honey should not react with it, so it is better to give preference to glass and ceramics.

Immaturity of the product

Unripe honey product contains a lot of moisture. This is not good for long-term storage, and can lead, as in the previous case, to spoilage of sweet stocks in just a matter of months.

Maturity is associated with the passage of all stages of fermentation of the productwhen excess moisture leaves it. The honeycombs are sealed with wax by bees. When this stage is completed, the honey is ready for sale and subsequent storage.

Violations of procurement rules

Pumping out honey must be carried out according to the rules, in compliance with all conditions. If these requirements are not met, for example, due to the inexperience of the beekeeper, the product may not thicken, but will not be stored for a long time.

Is it obliged to thicken?

Natural honey should thicken over time. There are only a few exceptions. Beekeepers who sell their product themselves, as a rule, tell customers what flowers it comes from.

What kind of honey does not turn white?

Some types of honey product have a very light, almost white tint.. “White honey” is the name of the product after crystallization and combination with royal jelly.

A light shade is characteristic of nectar, which is collected from a number of plants (alfalfa, rapeseed, fireweed, etc.), but in order to become white, it needs to begin to be sugared.

For those beekeepers who specifically want to obtain a product of the lightest possible shade, the difficult task of correctly positioning the hive is faced. The main condition is that they should be located as far as possible from the plants from which dark-colored bees collect nectar.

With the onset of crystallization, a white coating begins to appear on the surface. This is an indicator of high quality products. But honey will never turn white if the nectar is collected from flowers that give a dark shade, an overheated product, or an artificial one.

To diversify your table, you can turn an ordinary product into cream honey of an unusual white color. It’s not at all difficult to do this even at home:

At what time does it begin to crystallize?

Each type of honey has a different taste, color, and other characteristics, including the rate of crystallization. Eg:

• the flower hardens very quickly, literally a few days after picking;
• linden - begins to thicken after a couple of months;
• buckwheat – candied on average after a month;
• white acacia and fireweed - practically do not crystallize even after long-term storage.

What should I do to prevent thickening?

In some cases, it is preferable to have flowing, not solid honey. To slow down the thickening process, It is recommended to use the following methods:

1. Do not violate the rules related to the storage conditions of the product.
2. Filter the honey using a system of several sieves.
3. Warm up the product, working very carefully.

It should be borne in mind that even if all requirements are met, honey cannot be stored for a long time without changing its texture. The sugars present in the product trigger the formation of crystals, and over time it will become thicker.

How to store it so it can be candied?

If the task is what to do to speed up crystallization, you can act in several ways without compromising the quality of the product.

The most popular solutions:

1. Add a little sugared honey to the jar of liquid honey. Recommended proportions: 9 parts liquid to 1 part thick. And mix. The crystals that get into the liquid mass will begin to stimulate the thickening of the entire mass of the product.
2. Stir the honey with a wooden spoon at room temperature. After a while - repeat.
3. Place the product in conditions with a fairly low air temperature - up to +10°C.

How to melt candied?

Honey that has become thick can be melted. But everything must be done strictly according to the rules - this way the product will retain its beneficial properties and enchanting aroma. There are several options for achieving the result.

Water bath

In order to melt the honey delicacy, you will need 2 pans of different sizes. You need to choose them so that one fits inside the other.

Procedure:

• pour honey into the smaller container;
• Pour water into a large saucepan, filling 1/3 or ½ full;
• heat the container with water to a temperature of 40-45°C;
• place the smaller pan in the larger one so that the bottom of the container with honey touches the water;
• stir the honey constantly;
• After the product becomes liquid, carefully pour it into a container prepared for further storage.

Microwave

Using a microwave makes it possible to speed up the process. But there are a number of restrictions:

1. Set the “defrost” mode.
2. Place the container with honey in the microwave.
3. Set the operating time to 40 seconds.
4. After 40 seconds have passed, the product must be removed and stirred.
5. If the consistency does not become fluid, continue the process.

Heating battery

A heating radiator as a device for heating honey is the simplest solution. The battery surface temperature should be around +40°C. The container with the product should be placed nearby and the contents should be stirred periodically to ensure uniform heating.

What does white plaque mean?

A white layer may form on the surface or along the walls of the container with honey during crystallization. This process is typical for honey products with a low percentage of humidity..

The so-called “blooming” is associated with the appearance of small voids that are not filled with liquid. As moisture evaporates, it leaves behind cavities. After these cavities are filled with air, the top plaque becomes white.

This situation is possible if the honey itself contains little moisture, and the reserves are located in a very dry room with a fairly low temperature. Any honey that has begun to crystallize and is placed in conditions with air temperatures up to +4°C may begin to form a white coating.

Conclusion

Crystallization of honey during storage is a natural process that does not impair the characteristics of the product itself. If necessary, the drying time of the product can be increased or, conversely, reduced.using simple techniques.