Recommendations from beekeepers: can honey be stored in plastic containers?
Honey is one of the products that is prepared for future use and stored for months.
In order for it to retain its beneficial qualities, taste and aroma to the maximum, it is very important to organize proper storage, which includes the creation of suitable conditions and careful selection of containers.
One of the popular options now is the use of plastic containers of various appearance and capacity.
Content
Should I keep it in plastic?
In former times, honey was stored in clay vessels and wooden barrels. Over time, they were almost completely replaced by glass containers. Nowadays plastic is being used more and more.
The last option has a lot of advantages:
- compactness;
- practicality;
- Ease of use;
- light weight;
- tightness;
- low cost;
- wide choice of sizes and shapes.
But with prolonged contact with the product, especially in the light, the plastic may begin to release phenolic compounds and other unsafe substances. It is not recommended to store honey in plastic containers for longer than one year.
Requirements for containers
Plastic containers are one of the convenient and practical packaging options for honey and other beekeeping products.
It is used not only by small private beekeeping farms, but also large enterprises specializing in the supply of sweet natural delicacies.
Honey has a rich composition, which is very important to try to preserve. Therefore, it is so important to carefully select the container.
Basic requirements for plastic:
- packaging tightness;
- safety.
European standards
European standards allow the transportation and sale of honey in plastic containers. This applies to environmentally friendly materials approved for use in the food industry.
Quality mark
The plastic belongs to the category intended for food products can be determined independently by the corresponding marking:
- the presence of markings in the form of a triangle of 3 arrows, PP or PP;
- sign of a glass with a fork.
Such marking must be mandatory. It indicates the container material - polypropylene, which can come into contact with products. It is resistant to hot water, alcohol-containing liquids, honey, etc.
Which is correct?
Plastic is very suitable for short-term storage and ease of transportation. With such an organization of contents, it is necessary to comply with a number of requirements in order for the product to retain its quality and not to start fermentation.
Preparing the container
Containers for honey preparations must be certifieddesigned for contact with food products. It is best to use a new container that has not been used before.
The packaging must be clean and dry. Any damage makes it unsuitable for use as honey.
Each container must be thoroughly washed and dried in advance. If there are foreign odors in it, it is recommended to rinse the container with water and vinegar. Make sure the lid is tight in advance.
Temperature
For storage in plastic, it is necessary to ensure conditions under which the temperature will be from +5°С to +20°С. Even better – up to +10°С.
Humidity
The humidity level in the storage area should be up to 60%, maximum – up to 70%. The lower the value, the better for the content of the product. This is due to the ability of honey to easily absorb moisture, as a result of which the product can begin to deteriorate and ferment.
Tightness
A reliable, tight-fitting lid is one of the main requirements when storing honey reserves.
Sun protection
To store honey, one of the requirements is to keep it in a place protected from light. Even in cases where the plastic is not completely transparent, but has a tint, containers with honey nectar should be put away in a closet.
Duration
Plastic is not intended for long-term storage of products, including honey. It is advisable not to keep nectar in it for longer than a year..
If you plan to store honey for a couple of years, it is recommended to transfer it from plastic to a container made of a more suitable material - glass or ceramics.
What happens during long-term storage?
With prolonged contact of plastic with a food product, phenolic and other compounds are released, which pass from the packaging into honey. If this happens, the product loses its usefulness and may even become unsafe for health.
Conclusion
Long-term, multi-year storage of honey is not the best choice. Over time, the product begins to lose the amount of vitamins and lose antimicrobial properties etc. In order for honey to bring maximum benefits, it is recommended to use it within a year, until the next season, and replenish stocks in time.
