![]() Even properly stored honey may crystallize over time. Crystallization (also called “granulation”) is a natural process that occurs over time with almost all honey. If you reach for the honey jar and find sparkly, golden crystals, don’t worry. The good news is that you can lick the honey off of two spoons now! 4. But if you go long periods between using your honey, it’s best to be careful and avoid double dipping. ![]() In small jars of honey that are used very quickly, this might not be a problem. This might happen after a spoon has been dunked into a mug of tea doing so will reintroduce excess moisture (the tea on the wet spoon) causing the honey to ferment and spoil over time. Never double-dip a spoon or utensil into a honey jar, especially if it has touched another liquid. Avoid Inadvertent ContaminationĮspecially with large containers of honey, practice good hygiene and mindfulness when handling or using honey. Also keep honey out of direct sunlight or near a stove or other appliance where it might be subject to extreme heating and cooling often. All the better if you can keep the temperature from going far above or below that range. Generally, a temperature between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is a good range. Many people believe that room temperature is sufficient for honey storage, but what constitutes “room temperature” varies greatly between locations, individual homes and even rooms in the same house. And remember: Tighten the lid to keep moisture out. Never store honey in metal, as the material will cause the honey to oxidize. A food-grade plastic would be a second choice, but any plastic leaches chemicals over time. Glass does not warp, does not leach chemicals, and it’s easy to keep airtight. The ideal container for long-term honey storage is glass. This is one reason it has such a long shelf life. Honey contains very little water content (less than 18 percent moisture), so bacteria does not grow very easily in it. Once harvested, honey should be stored in a clean, dry, airtight container. Here are a few tips to remember when considering honey storage. In the hive, honey is rarely left untouched for more than a season it’s either harvested by the beekeeper or eaten by the bees through the winter and replaced by new nectar come spring. When stored properly, we know honey can be enjoyed almost indefinitely. Regardless of whether the story of the Egyptian honey is true ( National Geographic says it is), to a large extent, the way we store our honey has the greatest impact on its ability to remain edible. So I wonder: What went wrong? What you might not know is that some types of honey are more prone to crystallization, fermentation or molding than others, and that methods of honey storage make all the difference. Meanwhile, my blackberry honey crystallizes in my basement in the damp forests of North Carolina. A tale you might have heard goes like this: Explorers found a batch of ancient honey in an Egyptian pyramid, and it was in perfect condition, unspoiled, after 3,000 years.
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