Crystallization is the natural process of honey hardening. It is accompanied by a change not only in consistency, but also in the color of the beekeeping product. Because of this, buyers tend to believe that they were sold low-quality sweets. But in fact, there is usually no reason to think so. To understand this, you need to know why honey crystallizes and hardens, and when this stage normally occurs.
Why does honey quickly become hard?
Most honey varieties begin to harden soon after harvest.They change structure or color, but this does not in any way affect their organoleptic and beneficial properties. Reasons why the product becomes thick, like a stone, and “takes” in grains:
- Low fructose content with a predominance of glucose.
- Storage temperature. If it is low, this leads to faster sugaring of honey. To prevent this from happening, you should not store sweets in a room where the air is heated to temperatures above +21 °C.
- Availability of additional inclusions. It has been proven that honey that contains particles of pollen, wax, beebread or propolis hardens faster.
- Amount of water. The more of it is present in the substance, the slower the crystallization process proceeds. Or vice versa: a low volume of moisture causes intense sugaring of the product.
On a note! Stirring honey causes the destruction of glucose. Consequently, sedimentation and crystallization of the mass are inhibited.
When should the real product thicken?
If the honey thickens too quickly, do not rush to suspect something is wrong. After all, you already know that the process of crystallization of a substance is influenced by certain factors. Often honey begins to crystallize closer to winter, but sometimes this process begins as early as September or October. That is, 2-4 months after collecting honey.
Also keep in mind that the beginning and duration of this process depend on the specific type of sweet. For example, a substance made from acacia pollen retains a liquid consistency for a long time, or does not even enter the crystallization stage at all.
The following types of bee products crystallize faster than others:
- buckwheat;
- sunflower;
- melilot;
- lime;
- rapeseed
These are the most popular varieties of honey, which are characterized by slow or intense crystallization.And the ability to sugar determine how natural a beekeeping product is.
How to distinguish a real product by crystallization?
Sugaring should not be considered a process that spoils the exquisite qualities of sweetness. On the contrary, your doubts and suspicions should be caused by a liquid product in which lumps do not form for a long time. Of course, if we are not talking about the varieties described above, which are naturally characterized by a liquid consistency and a low tendency to crystallize.
Therefore, if the bee product has hardened, you can buy it without fear. But how can you check the authenticity of a sweet that does not crystallize? For this:
- lower the spoon into the mixture and immediately remove it: if the bee product is genuine, it will flow onto the plate, forming a “slide” at the highest point, and its remains will spring back up;
- Apply a little liquid substance to the paper and set it on fire. Natural bee product will not spread and will not become more liquid when exposed to high temperatures.
Be confident in your choice, buy genuine honey. After all, only it contains the entire range of useful substances the body needs for healthy functioning.
What kind of honey is never candied?
Sugar lumps do not form in the following honey varieties:
- acacia;
- chestnut;
- sainfoin;
- fireweed;
- heather;
- honeydew;
- polyfloral honey;
- clover.
Most of the polyfloral honey varieties remain without crystals.
But the most popular of them is considered to be May.If the previously mentioned types of bee products can still be periodically covered with sugar lumps, then this variety retains a liquid consistency for a long time.
Long-term storage rules
Only with proper storage will honey retain its beneficial composition and healing properties. The basic rules are stated in the table:
| № | Storage condition | detailed information |
| 1 | Capacity | Wooden containers are ideal for honey. If it is not possible to use it, the mass can be placed in a plastic container or glass container. |
| 2 | Air temperature | The rate of crystallization and the product’s preservation of its composition depend on it. The optimal temperature is from +15 °C to +21 °C. |
| 3 | Lighting | In a dark place, bee products are stored longer, fully retaining their beneficial properties, composition, and consistency. |
| 4 | Humidity | High air humidity negatively affects the organoleptic properties of honey. Therefore, it should only be stored in a dry place. |
As you can see, everything is simple, nothing supernatural. Follow these simple recommendations to ensure that the honey in your home is always fresh and healthy.
Myths about crystallization
The main myth about honey is that the crystallization process can make it less healthy. In fact, this is not true - hardening of the product does not affect its chemical composition in any way. It simply moves from one physical state to another. Moreover, crystallization is considered a kind of guarantee of suitability, quality and preservation of the usefulness of the sweet.
Another misconception is that the appearance of a white coating on the surface of the substance indicates that the product is spoiled. In reality, such a crust appears due to the crystallization of glucose.Its appearance does not at all indicate the unsuitability of sweets. To get rid of light lumps, just scoop them up with a wooden spoon or melt the sweet mass in a water bath.
Hardening of honey is a completely normal, natural process. It does not have a negative effect on the beekeeping product, although sometimes it does not look very appetizing. However, it is sugaring that is often a sign of the naturalness and high quality of sweets, so you should not be biased about this.
