Useful recommendations on where it is better to store honey
Honey is not just a natural product, but also a medicinal one, containing a lot of useful substances, including vitamins, trace elements and minerals.
When maintaining even small reserves of it at home, it is very important to try to preserve such a rich composition and unique qualities.
To do this, it is important to know and follow storage rules. We will tell you further where to store honey at home.
Content
Storage requirements
Traditionally, honey is stored at home for a long time - months and even years. To ensure that the product does not spoil, it is imperative that all basic requirements are met.
Illumination
Honey tends to deteriorate when exposed to sunlight, and lose their beneficial properties.
To prevent this from happening, it is important to protect the product from the sun, preferring dark rooms or cabinets with doors.
It is better to use darkened glass containers and ceramic dishes.
Air humidity percentage
Honey has good hygroscopicity and easily absorbs water. The more moisture a product contains, the worse it is stored, and the higher the likelihood of spoilage, as well as the development of fermentation.
The maximum possible percentage of humidity in the place where sweet stocks are stored is up to 75%, for some honey varieties - up to 60%. In all cases, the lower this value is, the better. The moisture level in the product itself should be up to 20%.
Smells
Honey not only absorbs moisture well, but is also able to absorb odors. To prevent this from happening, stocks must be carefully isolated – the storage container must have a sealed lid, and there should be no products with a strong smell (pickles, smoked meats, etc.) near the storage.
Temperature conditions
For honey, which has a moisture level of up to 20%, it is important to ensure storage at temperatures up to +20°C. The lower recommended temperature limit is +5°C.
Options
Based on the agreed conditions for keeping honey, a storage location is selected. If it does not satisfy even one of the listed requirements, it is better to look for another storage facility.
Balcony and loggia in the apartment
The balcony location is not in all cases suitable for placing honey on it.
Open loggias and balconies, or those with cold glazing, can be used to a limited extent. In the hot season, the air temperature will be very high, and in winter it will be too low.
Also, the percentage of humidity there will not be stable. It will rise in rainy or foggy weather and fall on sunny days.
If the glazing of the balcony room is reliable and the temperature is maintained fairly stable, it is possible to store honey in such conditions if you use a cabinet with doors or a box with a lid. This is necessary to protect stocks from exposure to sunlight.
Cellar and basement in the house
The cellar and basement are most often dark and cool. It is possible to choose such a place for storing honey, but only under an important condition – low humidity.If the room is very humid, it should not be used for long-term storage of bee products.
Additionally, care should be taken to ensure that there are no strong odors in the basement. If there are fish lying nearby, tubs of pickles, and cheeses, such a place will not be suitable for storage.
Kitchen cabinets
Cabinets in the kitchen are chosen for storing honey very often. If they are not located near heating devices or stoves, they can be used, and also with reservations.
The kitchen is a place where there is often high humidity, which honey cannot tolerate. Because of this this arrangement cannot be considered ideal. In addition, in the upper cabinets and on the mezzanines the temperature is always higher than in the lower cabinets, since hot air rises.
If possible, it is better to find a place for jars of honey in a separate cool pantry or in cabinets installed in the hallway.
Fridge
The refrigerator is cool and dark. This is very suitable for finding honey.
But there is also a problem due to which it will not work to contain a sweet treat.. This is high humidity.
It is present in most refrigerator models, with the exception of those equipped with the No Frost system. When placed in the refrigerator, the honey will become firmer.
Taking the season into account correctly
Taking into account the time of year and weather conditions, you can choose the optimal place for storing flower nectar products.
in winter
During the cold season, honey can be kept on an insulated balcony in a cabinet, in a pantry, or in a cool hallway. Loggias with cold glazing (or without it at all) are not suitable as storage places.
In summer
In summer, the balcony is often too hot to store sweets. Bright sun can shine on open shelves in kitchen cabinets and other unshaded areas. Cellars, as a rule, have a lower temperature and are suitable for storing supplies even in the hot summer.
Where can I keep it?
Honey should be stored only in conditions that are favorable for it. Any violation can lead to changes in the structure and damage to the product.
Open
Once the jar has been used and honey is regularly collected from it, it must be used as soon as possible.
For convenience, the product can be rearranged, for example, in a cabinet located directly in the kitchen. You should not leave a metal spoon in the honey you have started..
Closed
It is better to keep containers with honey that have not yet been used where all storage conditions will be optimal. You can move the jars closer as needed.
Conclusion
The choice of storage for honey must be approached with all responsibility. This is necessary in order to avoid the product losing its beneficial qualities and spoilage.
Having chosen a place to store honey reserves, It is advisable to periodically inspect the product, monitoring its condition. This will allow you to respond to changes that arise in a timely manner and take action.