Honey: storage and shelf life

Honey is a rare product that can be stored for a very long time without loss of healing qualities. Monks in Russia preferred to eat it after two to three years of aging. According to some experts, honey, the storage of which was properly organized, has a more rich taste and a subtle flavor, thanks to the process of natural ripening. Cellular honey is stored even longer. In beehives of wild bees, it accumulates for years, without losing valuable biological properties.

Proper storage of honey

This product is often subject to falsification, so it should be selected very carefully. To protect yourself from fakes, it is best to get a familiar beekeeper and buy from him a real healing honey. Storage of this product has its own characteristics. It is necessary to choose a suitable container, to ensure the correct light, temperature regime and optimum humidity.

Air temperature

To make honey long tasty and keep all its medicinal qualities, it is important to protect it from overheating. It is best to keep it at a temperature of -5 to +5 ⁰ C. The destruction of valuable enzymes for human health depends on the ambient temperature. Up to +10 ⁰ С, the decrease in the activity of substances is insignificant, but already at +20 ⁰ С it falls by 1.5-2% per month, which significantly reduces the useful properties of honey for long-term storage. When heated above +40 ⁰ C, after a few days the enzymes are destroyed. Temperature fluctuations should be avoided. At home, honey is best kept in the refrigerator. Manufacturers are increasingly using deep freezing, as reducing the temperature to -20 ⁰ C on the quality of honey is not significantly affected.

Exposure to sunlight on honey

Storage of honey in the light is unacceptable. According to the study of the German scientist Dustman, the product, standing on the windowsill for only two days, loses its medicinal properties. In addition, it gets dark and starts to separate. The best storage capacity for honey at home is a hermetically sealed glass jar. Its only drawback is transparency. If possible, put the honey in a dark cool room or provide the container with a full blackout.

And now it's time to remember how well sellers put honey on the shelves, and to think how long it's there ...

Storage Tanks

Honey can be stored in a container that does not affect its chemical composition and taste. To do this, you can:

• Glass containers: cans, bottles and so on. It is better if they are made of darkened glass.
• Wooden barrels. Suitable tree species : willow, birch, beech, alder, linden. Made from coniferous species, aspen or oak barrels do not suit, they spoil the taste and cause discoloration.
• Ceramic containers covered with glaze. Products from untreated clay soak up atmospheric moisture, so do not fit.
• Nickel-plated, enameled dishes.
• Packaging of food plastic. First there were fears in its use, but, according to studies, food plastic does not emit plasticizers and does not affect the taste.

Use a dry, clean container. Remains of old honey can not be left, they can cause the process of fermentation. Covers should fit very tightly, as the honey is hygroscopic and is able to absorb water from the air.

The impact of other products on honey

Storage of honey next to the smelling products will immediately absorb their aroma. It is advisable to remove it away from salted fish, smoked products, sauerkraut and other odoriferous products.

Manufacturers indicate a shelf life of one year, and it is desirable to adhere to it. At household storage it is impossible to perfectly observe all conditions and to keep all vitamins and active substances.