Proper storage of honey

Lovers and connoisseurs of natural bee honey should know how to properly store honey, because it, like other products, needs certain storage conditions. The quality of honey and its healing properties depend on this.

Storage capacity

After the honey collection process, considerable attention should be paid to the storage container, including the material from which it was made, its thermal insulation properties, transparency and tightness. It should be practical, airtight and hygienic.

Barrels made of linden, beech, poplar, aspen and alder are best suited for storing honey. If honey is stored in a container made of oak or coniferous trees, a tannic taste or pine smell may appear in the product. The simplest container option for small volumes of honey is considered to be glass. Dark glass jars with a tightly closed lid will protect a useful product well.

Another good material that will preserve all the qualities of honey as much as possible is stainless steel and enameled tableware. Often barrels for transporting large volumes of honey are made of stainless steel. But it is not worth storing honey in galvanized and aluminum dishes, because when reacting with sugars and acids of honey, the formation of toxic substances begins.

The only general requirement for all dishes is cleanliness. If not observed, the medicinal delicacy may ferment, which indicates its spoilage.

Temperature and humidity

Temperature and humidity play an important role for high-quality honey storage. Beekeepers-gardeners recommend storing honey at a temperature of + 5 to +10 degrees Celsius. In this range, an ideal balance is provided, which allows you to preserve the healing properties of nectar for as long as possible and prevent premature candying.

In turn, in accordance with the established standards, honey with a humidity of 19% should be stored at a temperature no higher than +20 ° C.

At a relatively lower temperature, honey crystallizes faster and becomes solid. For your information - crystallization is not a disadvantage, honey in any case will be prone to this process, which does not at all indicate quality or violation of storage conditions.

In a dry room (with low humidity), a process called honey flowering may occur, which indicates the high quality of honey. In turn, high humidity can cause fermentation of honey.

Lighting level and odors

It is worth remembering that it is necessary to store honey in a dark place. German scientists have proved that natural honey that has stood on the window (in normal daylight) loses its medicinal properties after two days.

If the container is open, honey will absorb all the surrounding odors and may lose its taste. However, if you store honey in a tightly closed jar, then nothing terrible should happen.

Shelf life of honey

In accordance with the established standards, it is recommended to store honey for no more than two years (provided that it is packed in an airtight container). In some countries, the shelf life of honey is 3-5 years.

At the same time, many beekeeping workers believe that natural and high-quality bee honey has practically no expiration date. If the storage conditions are selected perfectly and they are stable, then honey will be stored for a long time. If some storage conditions are violated, then it is possible to change the consistency and color.

So, to get the most out of honey, you need to adhere to these rules. Even honey can lose its healing properties, or even become dangerous to human health if you neglect the recommendations regarding the proper handling of it.