Honey does not deteriorate and can be stored for thousands of years? This truth is really unexpected...

gossip

"Honey has no expiration date and can be stored indefinitely"

There are often articles saying that honey has no shelf life and can be stored indefinitely, so there is no need to worry about honey spoiling. And some people say that archaeological experts have excavated honey that has been preserved for thousands of years, so our own honey can also be preserved for that long.

Rumor Analysis

This statement is not rigorous.

Although honey has a high sugar content and is not easy to spoil, there are indeed cases where honey has been preserved for a long time, but that is due to its special storage conditions. If honey is not stored properly, it will still spoil and affect consumption, and is not suitable for "passing on from generation to generation."

There is a popular saying: honey will not deteriorate and can be preserved forever. Some people even ask: "Can honey be stored for thousands of years?" Honey is almost "syrup". More than 75% of its ingredients are sugars, including glucose and fructose, and only 13% to 25% of water and other small amounts of nutrients. It is indeed very durable in storage. Precisely because of the high sugar content and low water content, it has a certain effect of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, and the content of microorganisms in it is also very small. But even so, it cannot be said that all honey can be preserved forever without deterioration. First of all, some microorganisms sometimes exist in honey, such as yeast and spore-forming bacteria; secondly, the osmophilic yeast in honey has a great influence on the quality of honey and may cause the honey to deteriorate.

How does osmophilic yeast cause honey to go bad?

The osmophilic yeast in honey mainly comes from two parts. One part is produced in the process of honey collection and processing. Nectar, bees themselves, soil in the apiary and air in the hive may all be sources of osmophilic yeast, which is more difficult to control. The other part is the pollution from the raw honey during the production and processing after it is collected, including the air, operators, equipment and containers in the production process. This part can be controlled by human intervention.

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If honey contains more osmophilic yeasts, and the water content of honey is high, and the storage temperature is relatively suitable, then these osmophilic yeasts can decompose the sugars in honey to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide; in the presence of oxygen, ethanol will also be converted into acetic acid. There is currently no direct evidence that these osmophilic yeasts will have an adverse effect on human health, but they will cause honey to deteriorate and the flavor to deteriorate. In summary, we should be rational about the storage period of honey. Although honey is relatively resistant to storage, the influence of osmophilic yeasts and water content in honey does not mean that all honey can be preserved forever. If it is improperly stored after opening, contact with air, water or moisture will accelerate the deterioration of honey.

How to store honey so that it can last for a long time?

At present, the honey produced by regular manufacturers that we buy on the market has a shelf life marked on the packaging, which is generally 2 years. For honey, as long as the storage conditions are appropriate, it doesn't matter even if it exceeds the shelf life.

1. Buy honey from regular manufacturers

We'd better buy honey from regular manufacturers, because regular manufacturers have strict production requirements, and most companies will strengthen the monitoring of osmophilic yeast, reduce its content as much as possible, and extend the storage time of honey. Generally speaking, the content of osmophilic yeast in industrially produced honey is not too high, and the content in farm honey is relatively higher.

2. Choose honey with low water content

It is mentioned in the literature that honey with a water content of less than 18% and a concentration greater than 42 degrees Baume is more conducive to inhibiting the growth of osmophilic yeast. In other words, the lower the water content and the higher the concentration of honey, the better the inhibitory effect on osmophilic yeast. It is best to choose a first-grade honey with a Baume degree ≥42, which is more resistant to storage. This is because the water content of first-grade honey is lower. GB/T 19330-2008 requires that the water content of first-grade honey should be ≤20%; if it is second-grade honey, the water content requirement is ≤23%.

3. Pay attention to the storage environment

When the storage temperature is higher than 25℃, osmophilic yeast is in the optimal growth temperature range (25~37℃). Under this condition, the fermentation process of honey will be accelerated and it will easily deteriorate. If the storage temperature is lower than 10℃, the growth of osmophilic yeast can be effectively inhibited.

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Many people like to put honey in the refrigerator. The temperature of the refrigerator compartment is too low. Although it helps to extend the shelf life, it will cause honey to crystallize and affect the taste. Of course, if you don’t mind, you can also store it directly in the refrigerator, and then dissolve it with warm water when you eat it. In addition, you must also pay attention when taking honey. You must use clean and dry tools to avoid bringing in bacteria and moisture. For honey that has been stored for a long time, you can remove the surface layer before eating. This is because honey is hygroscopic and can absorb moisture from the air. The moisture content of the upper layer of honey is higher than that of the bottom layer of honey. Therefore, the fermentation mainly occurs in the part of the upper layer of honey that is in contact with the air.

Don't eat honey.

In many people's minds, honey is a good thing, and even a must-have for health. In fact, the largest content of honey is sugar, and the content of other nutrients is very small. Data from the "Chinese Food Composition Table" shows that 75.6% of honey is sugar, including glucose and fructose, and 22% is water. The fat and protein content accounts for 2.3%, and vitamins, minerals and other ingredients account for less than 0.1%.

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Therefore, we should not expect to supplement much nutrition by drinking 1 teaspoon of honey every day, just drink it for its taste. However, some people need to drink less or no honey.

1. People with diabetes

The sugars in honey include sucrose, fructose and glucose. The sucrose content is very small, about 1%, while the fructose and glucose contents are relatively high. Although fructose has less effect on blood sugar, glucose has a greater impact on blood sugar. If you drink it frequently or drink too much at one time, it will still be detrimental to blood sugar control.

2. People with fructose intolerance

Honey contains a high amount of fructose. If people with fructose intolerance consume too much at one time, their bodies will not be able to digest the fructose and they will have diarrhea. People who have a "miraculous effect" from drinking honey for constipation are people with fructose intolerance.

3. Infants under 1 year old

Honey is a dangerous food for babies. Because bees can easily bring pollen and honey contaminated with botulism back to the beehive when collecting pollen and making honey, which may cause botulism and its spores in honey. The intestinal barrier function of babies under 1 year old is not yet fully developed, and may not be able to inhibit the reproduction of botulism, so eating honey may cause poisoning. In the early stage of poisoning, constipation will occur, followed by drowsiness, weak sucking, feeding difficulties, muscle weakness, weak crying, and severe cases can be fatal. For people over 1 year old, the natural microbial flora in the intestine has developed more maturely, which is not conducive to the germination of these spores, so it is still relatively safe. In summary, honey is indeed more resistant to storage, but it is not impervious to deterioration. If you want to keep it for a longer time, you must first buy honey from a regular manufacturer, preferably first-grade honey, and store it in a cool, dry environment without direct sunlight, preferably below 10°C. When taking honey, you should also pay attention to the dryness and hygiene of the tools and seal them in time.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

When we see very absolute statements, we must be careful, because rumors may be hidden in them. Just like the shelf life of honey, honey is indeed more durable, but it also requires appropriate storage conditions.

Author | Xue Qingxin, registered dietitian

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center