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What is the best way to store honey for the winter. Can honey be stored in the refrigerator?

Honey is one of those products that are able to retain their beneficial properties for a long time. But for this it must be kept in appropriate home conditions. As for what they should be, opinions differ somewhat. Let's see how best to store honey.

Of course, we do not have the conditions at home that are provided for the storage of beekeeping products in the apiary. But we do not buy it in buckets or barrels. Therefore, it is quite possible to ensure the storage of honey at home.

It really shouldn't be taken lightly. It is not only the dishes that need to be chosen correctly. The location is also of great importance in the first place in terms of ensuring a suitable temperature.

There is an opinion that the shelf life of honey is only one year. Its supporters argue that after this period, all useful properties lose their power. Moreover, they say that harmful substances can form in it.

However, under the right conditions, a good natural product can last much longer. During the first year of storage, fermentation processes continue in it, as a result of which the properties may change somewhat. It becomes less aromatic and may darken. But at the same time it acquires additional useful properties.

There is a known case when honey found during excavations in Egypt was suitable for consumption. So, subject to all conditions, this product can be stored almost as long as you like.

Optimal storage temperature

In the question of how to properly store honey, the most important place is the temperature. If it exceeds 40 degrees, then the loss of useful properties occurs, the formation of harmful substances becomes possible. However, such heat usually only occurs in tropical climates.

But long-term storage at room temperature above 20 degrees will not benefit. It is better if it does not exceed even ten. Otherwise, the sweetness may exfoliate and lose some of the vitamins. Negative temperatures are not terrible, but be prepared for the fact that the bee product will harden with them. Ideally, the frost should be at least 6 degrees.

Thus, the best preservation will be ensured by a temperature ranging from -6 to +10 degrees. However, it is best to keep it constant. And when you have to choose between a warm room or too cold, the latter will be better.

Where to store?

Generally speaking, the storage conditions for honey should be chosen taking into account two main parameters: temperature and air humidity. The first was mentioned in the previous paragraph, but what about the second?

In general, if the container is hermetically sealed, then it does not matter. However, they are often used, for example, jars with a polyethylene lid, which is not correctly considered as such. In this case, of all rooms, choose the one with the lowest humidity. And of course, the container must be hidden from sunlight, otherwise the shelf life will be significantly reduced.

Storage space in the apartment

In a city apartment there are many places where you can store food. This is a refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, a pantry, a balcony or a glazed loggia. And everywhere different temperature and humidity will be provided.

As a rule, room conditions are not very suitable for storing honey. In addition, one should not forget that in cabinets located near the stove, it can be even higher. Therefore, storing healthy sweets in cabinets, pantries, or just under the bed is not the best option. But if you rarely have more than 20 degrees in your room, say in winter, then you are welcome.

When there are no other options, find the coolest place in the apartment and leave the main supply there. In the kitchen, settle a small jar, replenishing the supply as it decreases.

And what about the refrigerator?

The answer to the question, is it possible to store honey in the refrigerator - yes, you can. The temperature here is almost ideal and remains the same regardless of external differences. The humidity inside is also not high, which means that this requirement is also met.

On summer days at home, this is the most suitable place. Neither the sun's rays nor the destructive heat will get here. But the container should be well closed due to the abundance of foreign odors.

Maybe a balcony or a loggia?

A balcony for storing honey is not very suitable and winter frosts are not the worst thing. In summer, it can be difficult to find a corner that is well protected from the sun. There are constant temperature fluctuations here. And during the autumn rains there is constantly high humidity.

A glazed balcony or loggia is a completely different matter, especially in the cold season. It is usually cooler than in the apartment, but not as cold as outside. And the temperature fluctuations are not so noticeable.

Cellar storage

In private houses, almost all products are stored in the cellar. The temperature here is quite suitable and fairly stable. However, do not forget that it usually has high humidity. And therefore, leaving honey for storage in the cellar, try to close it hermetically. So, this will help not only extend the shelf life, but also protect the product from odors.

Where can the product be stored?

Tara, like location, is important. Moreover, the shelf life of honey is affected not only by the material from which it is made. As mentioned above, what matters is how well it closes. Ideally, the dishes should be hermetically sealed.

Plastic container

You can store such a product in plastic packaging. Of course, provided that it is made of food-grade plastic. But, of course, this is not the best option and should not be used for long-term storage.

Glass container

The ideal option is a hermetically sealed glass container. It perfectly preserves the product, and chemically neutral glass does not react with it. The only thing that this packaging does not protect against is the sun's rays. Therefore, it must be placed in a dark place, or covered with an opaque material.

Containers from other materials

Along with glass, willow kegs are considered a good material for honey packaging. But in everyday life, such packaging is rare. Enamelled and processed earthenware is also suitable.

Where honey should never be stored is in galvanized or copper containers. They are even worse than plastic ones. The active ingredients contained in the product react with these metals and form toxic substances. As for wooden barrels, oak and coniferous ones are absolutely not suitable here.

What about product storage in combs?

This bee product in its natural packaging is known to have particularly beneficial properties. What is the best way to store?

As for temperature and humidity, then all the rules are valid here, as for ordinary honey. If you have a whole honeycomb frame at your disposal, you can try to save it entirely by wrapping it with an opaque material. To prevent moths from getting on them, it is recommended to keep the frames in the refrigerator.

However, it will be more convenient to cut the honeycombs into pieces, put them in glass jars and close them well. They must be stored in accordance with all the above rules. The refrigerator is perfect for this.

How to store the product so that it does not become sugary?

Honey does not crystallize for the longest time, remaining in its natural packaging - honeycombs. However, this process occurs with any natural product, and the speed depends mainly on the variety. Therefore, questions about how to store honey so that it does not become candied do not have a clear answer. This will still happen if the honey is of high quality.

Temperature fluctuations affect how long this process takes. True, if you keep honey at a constant, crystallization will not linger for a significant period. Under such conditions, it will simply run more evenly.

Video "Honey storage"

From our video, learn about all the rules for storing honey.

It is no coincidence that this unique natural product is called the "gift of bees" - amazing with a pleasant taste and countless vitamins and microelements. We are talking about honey, the irreplaceable and healing properties of which have been known since ancient times. It strengthens the immune system, helping the body cope with various infections and diseases. To get the maximum benefit from it, you must follow a certain regimen. In the article, we will analyze in detail and learn the secrets, consider the basic rules for storing natural honey.

Requirements and storage conditions for honey

All varieties, even those with the optimal composition, retain all their nutritional characteristics, but are still prone to inactivation of biological components. In such a case, aging occurs at an accelerated rate, especially when a suitable regimen is not observed. In order to preserve the useful characteristics, it is desirable to ensure that the storage of honey at a constant temperature (for example, in the refrigerator).

Honey should be stored in a dry, dark place. Ideal for this purpose are closed cabinets or a cardboard box. Being hygroscopic, it has the ability to absorb moisture and absorb odors from the environment. It is important to pay attention to the drawer locking system. Do not leave it near strong-smelling food or building materials. This option is suitable for residents of cottages. Residents of megacities can choose a balcony or window sill as a place to store honey (only, of course, not in the light!), The optimum humidity is about 60-80%.

The room for storing honey, you need to choose one where the climate is cold and stable. For these purposes, a pantry or a wooden cabinet in the kitchen is suitable. The temperature should be around ten to twenty degrees Celsius. When a treat is subjected to regime changes, it can darken and lose flavor. If the degree of the environment briefly reaches a high value - above 20C, it should be understood that such drops are not dangerous for sweetness. However, this can contribute to the rapid decay process, loss or deterioration of color, flavor and rare ingredients important for human health. With any change in the weather, it is still recommended to place it in the refrigerator.

Hygroscopicity of honey

When storing purchased honey, it should be remembered: it has some hygroscopicity, as a result, it easily absorbs various odors and moisture from the outside and retains them. Honey is easily fermented, and this process may be accompanied by the appearance of bubbles. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully close the jar with a lid. The fermentation of sugars and the subsequent appearance of spherical formations is a sign of the beginning of the loss of honey taste and its unique quality characteristics.

Even in the old days, attention was paid to the hygroscopicity of honey. It has been observed that honey should never be stored in barrels made of fresh raw wood. Due to its hygroscopicity, honey dried out (taken away moisture), after which significant cracks appeared in the walls. With the appearance of cracks, the question of the tightness of such barrels was no longer an issue - honey simply flowed out of them.

How to choose the right storage container for honey

  • Clay pots or any other utensils are great for long-term storage of honey. A distinctive advantage - does not let the sun's rays through, prevents the penetration of third-party aromas and moisture. It is no coincidence that our ancestors chose and preferred clay utensils for these purposes.

  • Plastic box. Most manufacturers choose plastic only because of its lightness and ease of transportation. However, if it has an unpleasant odor, it is better to refuse to use it in everyday life. The container must be marked with special signs: PP, PP or "5", which confirm their safety and stability.
  • glass jars convenient and safe for keeping fresh honey. By itself, the glass material does not react with the substances contained in them, therefore it does not emit unpleasant and dangerous substances and toxins. The only negative is the ability to let in sunlight. A dark container will do. The disadvantage of such dishes is fragility, high cost.
  • wooden utensils- can affect the organoleptic properties, give it a truly excellent flavor, while retaining all the trace elements and features. However, you need to carefully look at the choice of capacity. The best option is dishes made of birch, linden, beech. You should not take containers made of wood species that emit essential oils (coniferous, for example).
  • metal container- not quite a suitable alternative. The thing is that the metal oxidizes over time, which negatively affects the properties, and after eating it, the health and well-being of people who can get poisoned. In this case, you need to choose the right metal utensils. An excellent option is a container that does not contain zinc, copper and lead.

Rules for storing comb honey at home

If you managed to buy this amazing product, you will have to comply with certain storage conditions.

  • The first is the humidity level, we recommend no higher than 60%. In this case, the room must be ventilated. Residents of megacities can put it in the refrigerator.
  • The second is the storage temperature of honey is about 3-10 °C.
  • The third is a dark closet. Do not leave nearby vegetables, fruits that have a pronounced spicy aroma. We do not recommend leaving them in close proximity to comb honey.

To do this, the honeycombs are cut into pieces and placed side by side in clean containers. Close tightly with lids. Please note that not all of them may be suitable for this purpose. You should not choose metal - from copper, lead, zinc. When coming into contact with a treat, substances are formed that can cause serious poisoning. It is best to choose a glass jar or a ceramic pot.

Shelf life of honey

Under the influence of external factors, the organoleptic characteristics of honey change. Healing characteristics can be lost even if a number of recommendations are followed. Therefore, it is recommended to keep it at home for no more than two years. Under the influence of light and humidity, beneficial qualities can quickly evaporate. It begins to darken, crystallize and thicken already a couple of weeks after pumping out of the frames.

In an apartment, when the degree constantly reaches more than 22C, damage can occur much faster. At high temperatures, within six to nine months, honey begins to deteriorate and darken.

Basic rules for storing honey at home

In order for healthy food to last as long as possible, it is necessary to comply with the established standards:

  • Ideal ambient temperature - no more than 20 °C. Keep in a cool, dry place. The container should be tightly closed.
  • Away from the world. Excess sunlight can adversely affect its quality. In particular, this leads to the transformation and activation of negative factors, especially to the enzyme that responds to antibiotic activity.
  • A pantry or cellar is an ideal place to store quality honey, which will help preserve the taste and unique properties of sweetness. However, you need to make sure that these places are far enough from the oven, stove, boilers and heating lines of the house.

Honey is a classic Russian delicacy. Especially during Shrove Tuesday, when freshly baked hot pancakes can be dipped in honey.

Honey is also indispensable as a remedy for colds. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to know how to properly store this amazingly healthy and tasty product. In this article, we will tell you how to hurt honey, including honey in combs.

How to store honey?

First of all, it is worth learning that you need to store honey only in a clean container made of glass or aluminum. In no case should honey be poured into a jar where a film of old honey has remained. It will entail the fermentation of a new product, as a result of which the taste of honey will deteriorate.

Also, barrels made of beech, cedar, linden, birch are suitable for storing honey. You can store honey in enameled dishes, as well as in milk cans. Ceramic containers with enamel on the inner surface are also suitable.

You can not keep honey in jars and jugs made of copper, lead, zinc or alloys of these metals. As a result of the interaction of the metal with the acids contained in honey, extremely harmful substances are formed that can cause serious poisoning. Do not store honey in iron jars, as this will spoil its taste. For the same reason, you should not take honey out of the jar with metal spoons, and even more so leave it there for a long time. It is better to transfer some honey with a wooden spoon into a small container and eat it from there.

Since honey perfectly absorbs all odors, you should not store it together with strongly smelling substances: paints, acetone, kerosene, etc. In addition, to avoid fermentation, it is better to keep honey away from salt, which retains moisture in the air.

If honey is poured into glass jars, it is better to store it in a dark place, as it quickly darkens in the light, and this can reduce the quality of honey. If you need to melt crystallized honey, you need to put it in a water bath. However, you need to use only the amount of honey that is necessary at the moment, since in the melted state it can quickly ferment.

How to check honey for naturalness?

At home, honey is best stored in a refrigerator or cellar. Temperatures up to -20 degrees are allowed. This will not affect its taste and medicinal qualities in any way. In winter, honey is generally found mainly in crystallized form. If you bought liquid honey in winter, it is most likely a fake or very overheated honey.

The higher the storage temperature of honey, the more useful properties it loses. Therefore, try to store it in a dark, cool room without strong odors. The optimum storage temperature should be below 20 degrees.

How to store honey in combs?

What to do if you were presented with a frame with honeycombs and honey sealed in them? First, start to rejoice: such a gift is very valuable and useful.

To keep honey in combs for a long time, honeycombs must be cut into pieces and laid out in clean containers, and tightly closed with a lid on top. Such honey can be stored both in the refrigerator (at a not very low temperature), and in a dark and cool room.


Honey in combs is good because it contains a very useful wax and is simply indispensable for colds. If ordinary honey is swallowed immediately, then honeycombs can be chewed for a long time, which helps very well with sore throats and colds. In addition, honeycombs can be cut and eaten with tea and rolls.

Useful properties of honey

Accustomed to modern sweets, we sometimes forget about such a tasty and healthy product as honey. Meanwhile, it contains mineral and bactericidal substances. It has an anti-inflammatory and tonic effect. Honey is indispensable for cardiovascular diseases, as well as for colds, digestive problems and gums. It contains natural fructose and is very tasty during tea drinking.

Benefits of honey

During World War II, infected wounds were treated with honey. This helped stop the infection and saved many lives. It turns out that honey helped to defeat fascism.

The most expensive honey in the world costs 12,500 rubles. It is produced in Israel. Alexander Goroshit, a native of the Soviet Union, guessed to feed the bees with Siberian Ginseng extract, which gave simply amazing qualities to the product.

And in ancient Greece, the inhabitants explained the immortality of the gods by the fact that they eat honey, nectar and milk. However, even today, many believe that the use of honey contributes to the prolongation of life.

Thus, honey is not only a delicious delicacy, but also a useful tool that can help with many diseases. With it, you can cook a truly royal treat, even from a hill of pancakes, if you pour them with honey.


You can also add it to a cosmetic mask, and then honey will help maintain youthfulness and freshness of the skin. The main thing is to properly store this wonderful product. It should be kept in a cool dark place in a glass, enamel or ceramic dish with a tight lid.

The editors of the site advise buying honey from trusted sellers and being healthy.
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The benefits of honey and restrictions on use

Honey is a valuable product with a unique composition.

It contains fructose, iron, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, ascorbic acid, and many B vitamins.

The calorie content depends on the variety of flowers: a light-colored product from linden, mint or acacia has 305 kcal, and a dark product from buckwheat, chestnut or heather has more than 400 kcal.

The benefits of honey are invaluable to humans. It is often used in folk medicine, cosmetology and cooking. High nutritional value helps to restore strength after physical exertion. With a cold, it increases immunity, kills viruses and has an anti-inflammatory effect. When applied externally, it exhibits antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. The high content of iron (especially in buckwheat) helps with anemia.

And how much can you cook! For example, many barbecue marinades, thanks to the bee product included in the composition, make the meat simply delicious:,.

Attention!

With virtually no restrictions on use, the product is contraindicated for people who are allergic to it. With any manifestations of the disease (reddening of the skin, rash, rhinitis, tearing), you should stop taking honey and drink antihistamines.

The use of the product in large quantities can serve as the development of obesity and diabetes. and also cause dental caries. The recommended dose per day for an adult is 100-150 g, for a child - 40-50 g, which is divided into 3-4 doses.

And in order to fully enjoy all the benefits of the amber sweet bee gift, it is important to properly preserve it.

All about the proper storage of honey

The surest way to store honey is to keep it in a dry and cool basement in lime barrels.

But in modern conditions of living in city apartments, this is not feasible.

Yes, and we do not buy in such volumes.

However, even in an ordinary apartment, honey will stand for many years and completely retain all its useful properties, while not changing its appearance and smell.

But for this you need to follow the basic rules of storage. After all, an incorrectly chosen place, container or temperature regime will forever spoil the taste of the product.

How long to store honey?

Almost as much as you want! The statement that the product has a shelf life of 1 year, and then it loses its useful properties is not justified. Fresh honey continues to ferment during the first year. It may darken and lose some of the aroma, but due to the processes taking place in it, it acquires additional useful properties.

When buying a store-bought product, the shelf life according to GOST is 1 year. However, if honey is truly natural and properly stored, it can last for several years.

Temperature conditions

The temperature regime at which honey retains its consistency, aroma, taste and nutrients is quite wide.

Small deviations from the norm can slightly affect its important parameters:

  • at a high temperature > 40 degrees nectar loses all useful properties, produces substances dangerous to humans, turns useful elements into harmful toxins;
  • in the range of 20-40 degrees, the product delamination occurs;
  • allowed, but the maximum allowable is 10-20 degrees, that is, storage is possible at room temperature;
  • the ideal temperature conditions are constant indicators from 10 heat to 6 frost;
  • during storage< -6C происходит затвердевание и заморозка меда.

When choosing containers, it should be noted that the product increases in volume when frozen.

Another main requirement for temperature is its constancy, because. drops negatively affect the quality of nectar.

Where to store honey at home

When choosing a specific storage location, it is necessary to take into account not only temperature indicators, but also the presence of light. It should be a cool dark place where the rays of the sun do not penetrate, which can harm the honey.

The main storage places in the apartment and the correct use of them:

  1. Is honey stored in the refrigerator? Yes, it's a great place. Here, the temperature regime with low humidity and lack of light is fully observed.
  2. Cabinets in the kitchen - not always the best place for the treasured jar. The proximity of the stove will maintain unwanted heat. It is better to store a small container with honey in such a place, regularly replenishing it from the main stock.
  3. Pantry - A good place to stay. The absence of light is fully guaranteed, which cannot be said with certainty about humidity and temperature. If at all times of the year this room will maintain the optimum temperature for the product, then it will do, otherwise it is better to refrain.
  4. Unglazed balconies and loggias are bad places to save. The product is difficult to hide from the sun, it will be constantly exposed to temperature changes, and during the rainy season, humidity will be high for it. But glassed-in rooms are a completely different matter., there you can save the honey properly.

What to store

With proper storage, the container in which honey is located is very important.

All dishes can be divided into several groups from the most to the least suitable.

  • Perfect option : glass jar or clay pot with a tight lid. It is better if it is a dark glass jar, which will further protect the product from the sun.
  • A good option : enamel or ceramic dishes, aluminum foil glasses or waxed paper containers. The latter option is only suitable for candied honey.
  • Satisfactory option : plastic container, bottle and other food grade plastic containers. This packaging is only suitable for short-term storage.
  • Negative option: iron, enameled and galvanized containers, honey will oxidize in it. And the active components of the product, reacting with the metal, emit toxic substances.
  • Temporary option: molded or corrugated cups made of pressed cardboard with moisture-proof impregnation for transportation and short-term storage of the product.

The selected container should have a tightly closed lid so that the honey does not absorb foreign odors. It is better to wash the dishes with laundry soap, followed by a plentiful rinse. During storage, it is not recommended to add fresh product to “old” residues.

Additional requirements: humidity, light, smell

Bee honey perfectly absorbs moisture. Therefore, storage in a room with high humidity will spoil the product, making it too liquid. And with additional heat, it will generally ferment and turn sour!

The sun's rays not only heat the product, changing its temperature, but also destroy the enzyme inhibin, which is responsible for the antimicrobial properties of honey.

It is forbidden to store honey next to strongly smelling objects, because. even in a closed container, it absorbs other people's odors.

A little about crystallization

Crystallization or sugaring is a natural process of a natural product.

Honey does not crystallize for the longest time in combs, and the speed of sugaring depends on the type.

Buckwheat and flower products have a high degree of sugaring, while linden remains in a liquid consistency much longer.

Thickened honey does not taste different from liquid, it’s just that the liquid version is more convenient to eat, it looks more aesthetically pleasing and is used when added to pastries, salads, marinades.

If necessary, you need to properly melt the thick product in a water bath

How to store honey in combs

Honey in its natural packaging - in wax-sealed combs - is the most useful.

Frame storage requirements are exactly the same as for liquid honey.

A small nuance will differ in the safety of the whole frame.

In this case, it should be wrapped with an opaque material.

And so that the moth does not start, honeycombs are best stored in the refrigerator. But the correct and convenient option would be storage in a bank. Cut the honeycombs from the frame into convenient pieces and put them in a glass container with a tight lid. Further storage is no different from the usual.

Useful video

This video briefly talks about the basic storage conditions for honey:

May retain its useful properties. It turns out that compliance with optimal storage conditions makes this product practically without an expiration date. But, the opinions of beekeepers about the rules of storage often differ. How, then, is it right to store honey so that it does not become candied and does not lose its healing chemical composition?

Does honey have an expiration date?

If you turn to GOST, then there is a rather short shelf life of honey, which is 8-12 months. But such norms apply only to the product of industrial production. On the market, honey is often found even with a three-year exposure, which, according to beekeepers, is even more useful. Is it really?

The shelf life of honey can span several decades without loss of useful properties if it is stored in a hive. Thanks to the wax coating, air, harmful microorganisms and light do not enter the cells. This creates all the necessary conditions for storing honey. But it is a completely different matter if the honeycombs are opened and honey is poured into a container. Interaction with oxygen and bacteria triggers oxidative processes that lead to the "volatilization" of vitamins and minerals.

On a note! A characteristic foam and a sour aftertaste are the main signs of spoiled honey.

The main factors that shorten the shelf life of honey are:

  • Direct sunlight.
  • The temperature is above +20⁰С.
  • Humidity over 80%.
  • Leaky packaging.

The ability of honey not to deteriorate for a long time is also affected by its chemical composition:

  • If it has a lot of padi, then it will deteriorate much faster.
  • Honey, which was made by bees fed with sugar, in addition to a short shelf life, will have a poor vitamin content.
  • If the honey was pumped out unripe, it will not have enough enzymes and biologically active substances. This will promote premature fermentation and souring.

Marvelous! When excavating the pyramids in Egypt, vessels with honey are often found, which are completely usable. Scientists even believe that the ancient Egyptians used honey as a mummification agent.

If factory-packed honey in compliance with all sanitary standards is stored for only a year, then what about the sweetness that was bought on the market. How long and under what conditions can honey be stored at home?

There is simply no single answer to the question of how long honey can be kept at home. It all depends on its variety, quality, degree of maturity, the conditions in which it was bottled and the way it was stored. But it is worth remembering that even if all the rules are followed, after 12 months, honey begins to lose its beneficial properties. Therefore, you should not store bee products for years.

Honey storage rules: creating suitable conditions

If you are not going to immediately use the purchased honey, you need to store it properly so that it does not deteriorate prematurely.

Temperature regime

So that vitamins are not destroyed in honey and amino acids are not oxidized, it must be kept in a room with a temperature of -6 to +20⁰С. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible to keep honey at room temperature. If honey is heated above 37⁰С, then most of the beneficial nutrients evaporate, and only carbohydrates remain.

Also, honey should not be heated. Temperature treatment at a temperature of 40⁰С and above promotes the formation of carcinogenic compounds. But freezing honey absolutely does not affect its shelf life and chemical composition.

Important! Sharp temperature fluctuations can cause crystallization and stratification of honey.


Humidity

Honey has enhanced absorption properties. Therefore, the lower the humidity in the room where honey stands, the better. If the moisture level exceeds 75-80%, you need to clog the container with honey as much as possible. When honey absorbs a lot of water, it becomes liquid and soon spoils.

Advice! To seal the jar of honey as much as possible, you can fill the edges of the lid with hot wax.


Lighting

Honey should never be stored in direct sunlight. Heat rays instantly destroy inhibin - an antimicrobial substance - and the honey begins to deteriorate immediately. The best solution is to put honey in a dark place.


Third-party odors and volatile substances

In places where honey is stored, there should be no products with a pungent odor, such as fish, meat, smoked meats. Even if the jar is tightly closed, honey will still absorb a third-party smell.

Careful attention should be paid to the presence of nearby honey things with volatile substances (chemical inhalants with a narcotic effect). Paints, varnishes, rubber, aerosols, gasoline, and other products with such toxic substances can make honey hazardous to health.


Where is the best place to store honey?

There are many options for storing honey. Most honey lovers keep it at home in the refrigerator or on the balcony. If possible, they clog it and put it in the cellar. And beekeepers do keep honey in combs and pump it out little by little. Therefore, the place of storage of honey depends on the technical capabilities of its owner.

Are the apartment conditions suitable for storage?

In the apartment you can find several suitable places for honey: on the balcony, in lockers or in the refrigerator. The main thing to consider is that the conditions are the most suitable.

Room conditions are not the best choice, so if the room temperature exceeds 20⁰C, it is better to put the honey in the refrigerator. There, the temperature is right and the humidity is optimal.

Many put honey on a balcony or loggia. There are some downsides here. Firstly, in summer there is a lot of sun, and this destroys the vitamin composition of honey. Secondly, in autumn, due to frequent rains, the moisture level greatly exceeds the norm, which also affects the shelf life. Only the winter period remains, but then the honey will have to be thawed before use.

Advice! If the balcony is glazed, then it may well be suitable for storing honey.

Cellar storage

If it is possible to store honey in the cellar, it is better to do so. There are practically no sharp jumps in temperature, and there is no direct sunlight. The main thing is to cork jars with honey correctly so that it does not absorb excess moisture.

Honey comb

If desired, you can buy honey in combs, but it is very difficult to store such a product. High humidity (more than 60%) will destroy all useful composition, and too low humidity can cause the reproduction of various pests, such as food moths. You also need to maintain the temperature within +6 - + 10⁰С. Therefore, only beekeepers mainly store honey in this form.

On a note! Honeycombs can be divided into small pieces and folded into a glass container with an airtight lid. This will keep the honey from fermenting for a long time.

Honey storage containers: what to choose?

Packaging containers play an important role in the preservation of honey. Moreover, not only the material is important, but also hermetic capabilities.

Plastic container

Buckets or jars made of plastic are allowed to store honey, provided they are made from food-grade plastics. But it is not advisable to store honey in such a package for a long time. Since honey contains organic acids, it is considered a corrosive product that interacts with plastic.

Do you know...
Experienced beekeepers consider clay to be the best container for storing honey. Clay vessels perfectly pass air, while providing a stable temperature regime. True, if we are talking about a container made of environmentally friendly clay.

Glass container

Glass containers are considered the most suitable. Glass is an environmentally friendly material and does not emit hazardous substances. The only disadvantage of such packaging is transparency. To smooth out such a nuance, you need to keep honey in a dark place or wrap the container in paper.

On a note! Many people think that candied honey is spoiled. In fact, the crystallization process is characteristic of real honey and is not a sign of spoilage.

Alternative packaging options for honey

Honey is successfully stored in enameled, earthenware and wooden containers. But such a container is very rare. But honey cannot be kept in aluminum, galvanized or copper vessels. Harmful compounds of heavy metals can pass into the composition of honey.

Advice! If you are going to store honey in wooden barrels, only willow will be suitable as a raw material for the container. Coniferous or oak boards will spoil the taste of honey.

Compliance with the basic rules of storage will allow you to enjoy delicious and fresh honey throughout the year. And in order not to worry about the safety of this product, you should not buy honey in large quantities.



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