Proper honey storage is an interesting and important topic. There is a lot of information on the Internet about the proper storage of honey. I will try to sort out all the real information in this post.
First of all, remember that honey is a "living organism" and in order to retain its biological properties and keep us healthy, it must be handled properly. You just need to follow a few rules to keep its taste and health benefits for as long as possible.
Honey is divided into nectar and honeydew honey. Nectar honey from flowers has a biological life of up to two years, while dark honeydew honey has a biological life of up to 5 years. How to store them properly?
Proper honey storage - methods
Honey should always be kept in a dark and dry place, tightly closed . The optimal temperature is 8-10 degrees , but not lower than 7 degrees. Honey, but also other bee products, react very badly to sunlight. The sun completely destroys the valuable compounds in honey. The optimal place to keep jars of honey is a basement, but one where there is no moisture. Unfortunately, honey is hygroscopic, which means that it easily absorbs water vapor , which accelerates the fermentation process and the development of bacteria, molds and yeasts.
Honey is very sensitive and easily absorbs foreign odors , so you need to be careful where you keep it. This refers to honey that has been "started" and is currently being consumed. Special vessels are intended for storing honey in the kitchen. There are many such honey containers on the market. When choosing the right one, it is worth paying attention to the size of the hole for the spoon (dipper) for honey. Air enters through the scoop opening, and thus foreign odors. The smaller the hole, the better . It is good to keep honey in such a container so that it will be consumed quickly .
In Poland, it is customary to pour honey into large jars, up to 1200 g. Some people need even several months to consume such a large jar of honey. A large jar is opened and closed many times, which causes the honey to spoil and weather faster. Personally, I am a supporter of purchasing honey in smaller jars. Small capacities do not expose the honey to 'germs' after frequent insertion of the spoon :--)
How to apply honey correctly
When writing about a spoon, it is worth mentioning which one to use for honey. You can use a wooden, metal or acrylic scoop . There's nothing stopping you from using a metal spoon sometimes. It is not true that a metal spoon in brief contact with honey causes a chemical reaction. However, it is true that keeping honey in an iron vessel for a longer period of time causes the production of chemical compounds that reduce the effect of honey .
Personally, I recommend the acrylic scoop . First of all , you can apply honey freely without spilling it. It is easy to clean and, unlike wooden scoops, it does not absorb honey into its structure. Not to mention aesthetic considerations; it is nice and fits into any modern kitchen.
