Honey can be stored for years without losing its beneficial properties. You just need to follow the simple storage rules. Beekeepers assure that honey retains its beneficial properties for centuries. There is a known case when honey found during excavations in Egypt was suitable for consumption. What rules should be followed in order to preserve tasty and healthy honey as long as possible?
Temperature from -6 to + 20 ° С… It is better not to store honey at room temperature, it spoils and exfoliates. If you keep it at a temperature above 20 degrees for a long time, then some of the vitamins will be destroyed. If honey heats up above + 40 ° C, then some of the vitamins and beneficial properties are lost immediately. But temperatures below 0 do not affect the quality of honey, but it hardens.
One more condition: it is better not to change the storage temperature. If honey stands in the cold, let it stand there. Otherwise, it may crystallize unevenly.
Store honey in a tight glass jar… With a tight lid. Enameled dishes and ceramics are also suitable. You can use food grade plastic, but as a last resort. You cannot store honey in an iron container, in chipped enamel or in a galvanized container – otherwise it will oxidize. Honey dishes must be perfectly clean and dry.
By the way, it is better to use laundry soap instead of liquid products for washing honey cans. And rinse with plenty of water.
The lower the humidity, the better… The fact is that honey perfectly absorbs moisture from the environment, so the container must be closed very tightly. However, it is best not to keep it in humid places, near water sources, etc. After all, if honey absorbs a lot of water, it will become too liquid and deteriorate.
You can’t store honey in the sunlight.… The sun’s rays will heat the jar and destroy most of the nutrients. The most annoying thing is that they quickly destroy inhibin, the enzyme responsible for the antimicrobial properties of honey.
Honey absorbs odors… Therefore, it should not be stored near strong-smelling substances (salted fish, paints, gasoline, etc.). Even in spite of the tightly closed lid, it will be able to absorb all unpleasant odors in a short time.
If you become the proud owner of honeycomb, know that this way it will last the longest. In addition to the usual rules for storing honey, you should be aware that you can try to preserve the honeycomb frame entirely by wrapping it in an opaque material. To prevent moths from starting up on them, it is recommended to keep the frames in the refrigerator. However, it will be more convenient to cut the honeycomb into pieces, put them in glass jars and close them well.