Storing honey at home - expiration date and required temperature

Honey is a unique product that does not lose its healing properties for a long time. Sometimes there is a product on sale that has been stored for several years. At the same time, sellers assure that such a product does not lose its taste and benefits. However, the shelf life of honey is still limited. In order for the mass to remain of high quality for as long as possible, it is important to create suitable conditions for it.

How long can honey be stored according to GOST?

Honey contains bactericidal components. Thanks to this, the product does not deteriorate for a long time. However, when opening the honeycomb and moving the mass into a glass container, harmful components and oxygen appear in it. Therefore, the substance still has a limited shelf life.

According to GOST, it reaches 1 year. In sealed packaging, the standard allows storage for 2 years. After the specified time, honey does not spoil, but its beneficial properties are significantly reduced. This is due to the influence of external factors.

If we talk about a product with additives, its shelf life does not exceed 1 year. This applies to storing the mass in an airtight container. Once opened, the shelf life is reduced to 2 months.

Shelf life in the refrigerator

If you plan to keep the mass in the refrigerator, it is recommended to provide a separate shelf for it. At the same time, you should not place the mass near products with a strong odor. It is best to keep honey in a glass jar.

In this case, the refrigerator can only be used as a temporary storage place. Usually the product is placed there in the summer, when the apartment is too hot. At the same time, exposure to low temperatures negatively affects the taste and color of honey. In addition, condensation, which is dangerous for the mass, accumulates on the walls of the refrigerator. The optimal storage period under such conditions is from 8 months to 1 year.

In the freezer

At home, honey can be kept in the freezer. It is recommended to ensure that the temperature is at least -5 degrees. At the same time, the mass will not lose its healing characteristics. The shelf life of frozen honey is also from 8 months to 1 year.

At room temperature

Honey can be kept in room conditions no more than +20 degrees.It can be stored in a closet or on the balcony. The bee product itself is considered an excellent preservative. The product contains special enzymes that prevent the proliferation of bacterial microorganisms and fungi.

The optimal storage period is 1 year. If honey is in a sealed container, its shelf life increases to 2 years.

What do the deadlines depend on?

The shelf life of the product depends on its type, pumping time and composition. If the product was pumped out before the end of full maturation in the hive, fermentation processes will begin faster.

Shelf life depends on the diet of insects. If the beekeeper constantly feeds them with sugar syrup, the product will lack vitamins and preservatives that slow down dangerous processes. If the composition contains a large amount of honeydew, the shelf life of the mass will decrease by 2 times.

Temperature

Honey can be stored at temperatures from -6 to +18 degrees. At room temperature, the mass loses some of its beneficial properties, quickly crystallizes and stratifies. Heating to parameters of +35 degrees leads to a complete loss of vitamins and other useful components. Negative temperatures do not affect the quality characteristics of bee products.

When storing mass, it is important to remember that temperature fluctuations can also provoke a decrease in beneficial properties and reduce shelf life.

Humidity

The bee product is capable of absorbing large amounts of moisture from the environment. As a result, the mass acquires a watery consistency and separates. In addition, it loses its taste. Therefore, humidity parameters of more than 70-75% are dangerous. The optimal figure is 50-60%.If it is not possible to regulate the humidity in the room, it is recommended to close the container with honey as tightly as possible.

Capacity

It is forbidden to keep bee products in metal containers, as this entails an oxidation process. The mass acquires an unpleasant aftertaste and loses some of its beneficial properties. It is also worth considering that the substance can absorb the taste and aroma of wooden utensils that are not varnished.

Transparent glass does not provide UV protection, which also negatively affects the quality of the product. In addition, an unnatural taste may appear when the substance is stored in enamel containers that are chipped.

Dark glass is considered the best option. Honey can also be kept in clean enamel containers. As a last resort, it is allowed to use food-grade plastic. However, in this case, the product can be stored for a maximum of 3-4 months.

Tightness

It is important that the lid of the container in which honey is stored fits as tightly as possible to the neck. Tightness helps protect the bee product from extraneous odors and high humidity. When storing the mass in an unsealed container, its shelf life is reduced to 1-2 months.

Odors and dust

Honey easily absorbs the smell of smoke and chemicals. It easily absorbs cement and flour dust. Therefore, it is important to protect bee nectar from the influence of these factors.

Lighting

The influence of sunlight has a bad effect on the quality characteristics of honey. This factor provokes the loss of all beneficial properties of the product. If you leave the container on the windowsill, literally the next day the valuable product will become liquid sugar.

Shelf life of honeycombs

Honey in combs is usable for 2-3 years. This is due to the content of propolis and natural preservatives in the composition.In order for the mass to remain fresh and healthy for as long as possible, it is important to protect the honeycombs from high humidity and direct sunlight. It is best to place the product in a cool, dark place.

It is important to consider that honey in combs can be damaged by wax moth attacks. These parasites can damage the walls of the honeycomb and lay eggs and larvae in the mass. Systematic ventilation of the room will help to avoid such problems.

Another danger to comb honey is the appearance of mold. To prevent this problem from occurring, it is recommended to systematically inspect purchased frames and promptly clean them of fungus.

How to keep honey liquid so it doesn't become sugary

Sugaring is a natural process that confirms the naturalness of the bee product. In this case, it is impossible to prevent the crystallization process. This phenomenon is due to the high glucose content in the composition. If sugaring does not occur even after 4 months, this is considered a clear sign of counterfeiting. This situation occurs if producers melt honey or feed insects with large amounts of sugar syrup. An exception is acacia honey, which can remain liquid for 2 years.

To get liquid honey in the middle of winter, it is recommended to melt it in a water bath. You can also heat the mass to +40 degrees. To do this, it is recommended to place the honeycombs in a well-heated room and leave them there for a long time. The technology can also be used for pumped out honey. However, the easiest way is to use a water bath.

To do this, it is recommended to take 2 pans of different sizes and place them on top of each other. The space between the walls of the containers should be filled with water.Then you need to place the required amount of honey at the bottom of the smaller container. It is recommended to heat the mass over low heat until it becomes liquid.

It is important to be careful when using this method. If the temperature of honey exceeds +45 degrees, it will lose its benefits. If the parameters are more than +60 degrees, there is a risk of the formation of a dangerous carcinogenic substance - hydroxymethylfurfural.

How to store honey after opening?

After opening the honeycomb, the shelf life of the bee product is significantly reduced. This is due to the contact of the substance with oxygen and harmful elements contained in the environment. Therefore, there is a specific period of time during which nectar is safe to consume.

GOST sets the shelf life at 1 year. However, in practice, under the right conditions, this period increases to 2 years. If the temperature and humidity parameters are violated, the storage period, on the contrary, decreases and is no more than 8 months. The standard allows bee nectar to be kept in an airtight container for 2 years.

It is worth considering that natural bee nectar is considered a rather capricious product. In order for the mass to retain its taste and benefits, it is important to provide it with suitable storage conditions. The following should be taken into account:

1. It is best to keep honey in a glass container. If the mass was purchased in a plastic container, it is recommended to immediately pour it into small glass jars. It is best to use small containers.The fact is that constantly opening the can leads to the entry of bacterial microorganisms into it. This negatively affects the shelf life of bee nectar.
2. It is important to protect the product from direct sunlight. To do this, you can keep it in a dark glass container or place the containers in a dark, dry basement.
3. It is imperative to maintain optimal temperature conditions. It can be +8-15 degrees. Sometimes some deviations from these parameters are acceptable. It is important to avoid sudden temperature fluctuations. They lead to the appearance of condensation inside the container, which will cause the product to sour.
4. Experts advise keeping the product separate from food with a pronounced odor. The fact is that honey quickly absorbs foreign aromas.

It is allowed to use not only glass containers as storage containers. Suitable options also include ceramic, enamel and wooden dishes. The only exception are barrels made from softwood. They contain a large amount of resins, which will negatively affect the aroma of bee nectar.

It is also worth considering that honey in oak barrels may become darker. However, this will in no way affect the taste or benefits.

Honey is a unique product that contains a large number of valuable components. Due to this, it is often used for medicinal purposes. It is important to take into account that the substance has a limited shelf life. In addition, it requires the creation of certain conditions. Only in this case will the mass contain a maximum of valuable elements and bring greater health benefits.