Storage

Honey is a biologically active product, with well defined bactericidal properties. It can be preserved for years, centuries and even millennia, of course under certain conditions. After discovering and opening the Tutankhamun’s tomb, a clay pot with honey was found in it. More than 3,000 years have elapsed from the burial, but the honey has remained just honey, and has preserved its distinctive aroma, because it was held in an airtight container.
Honey boasts antibacterial properties, they however are lost under wrong conservation – if overheated, exposed to light, especially sunlight. The optimum honey storage temperature is 0 С to 10 С. At minus temperatures a lot of amino acids and vitamins in it are destroyed, and at a temperature in excess of 10 С quality deteriorates, the scent is lost, its colour may change, too.
The content of vitamins in honey increases by the increase of pollen in it. Perga is pollen conserved by the bees in the cells of the honeycombs, enriched with secretion of the pharyngeal glands of honey bees and the honey. This is a storehouse of vitamins, amino acids and mineral salts.
Under correct storage the honey colour becomes lighter, whereas under incorrect and prolonged storage it becomes darker, the same as under heating.
In the process of conservation honey undergoes a number of changes. In the beginning it thickens, then becomes darker, and eventually, due to glucose crystallisation, it turns to a dense mass. Honey crystallisation takes place most quickly under a temperature of 13 – 14 С. This process ceases under a temperature of 27 – 32 С, and under 40 С the crystals begin to dissolve. The crystallised honey becomes liquid under prolonged storage in a room with a temperature of 35 С. The crystallised honey can be made liquid in a water bath under a temperature of 40 С, stirring occasionally to speed up the process. Under a higher heating temperature many of its curativе properties are lost. Honey heated under a temperature in excess of 50 С does not crystallise, but remains liquid and, even good for food, it loses some of its curativе properties.

Honey is highly hygroscopic, therefore the room it is held in should be clean and well ventilated. Air humidity should not exceed 60 – 70%. At an increase of this parameter, the honey absorbs the moisture. And as this honey bee product contains yeast fungi, fermentation and souring are likely to happen. The optimum honey souring temperature is 11 С to 19 С. Honey containing 17% water does not sour, but if water content surpasses 21%, it turns sour. In such a case honey liquefies in the beginning, the liquid portion emerges on the surface, and then gas bubbles appear.
The honey storage room must not have sharp extraneous odours (sauerkraut, herring, etc.), because this product has a fantastic capability of absorbing them.
To preserve the honey qualities it is important to choose the right storage containers. For not large quantities of honey the most hygienic and convenient containers are the glass, enamel or nickel plated ones, with thick plastic or metal lids. To store honey in large quantities are used containers made of beech, lime-tree, birch, willow, plane-tree, aspen, firs, taking also into account that the wood humidity should not exceed 17 – 20%, i.е. it must be lower than the allowable humidity of the honey. The wood from some coniferous trees or from oak (in oak barrels honey darkens) is not recommended for use in honey storage. For the storage of honey may instead be used: milk canisters and tin cans made of stainless steel plate, aluminium or aluminium alloys suitable for the storage of foods; cups made of aluminium foil, coated with varnish, designed for food containers; cups made of pressed cardboard with water-proof base and covered with varnish suitable for food containers; ceramic pots plated inside with enamel; jars, cans made of plastic intended for food preservation.
Honey must not be kept in pots made of synthetic materials, and neither of zinc plated sheet iron, (zinc combines with organic acids, forming poisonous substances, iron also enters into a reaction with honey, whereupon honey darkens).