Beekeeper spills the honey: Wrong storage could spoil your favourite sweet treat
Many people tend to store honey in kitchen cupboards, without realizing that this might be harmful for this delectable product. Beekeeper Wojciech Margowniczy disclosed the ideal place to store honey and clarified doubts about it being invincible to spoilage. Find out why room temperature and proximity to heat sources could potentially damage your favorite sweet topping.
12:50 PM EST, January 24, 2024
The art of storing honey: Insights from a beekeeper
Mr. Margowniczy, a beekeeper, addresses the question of whether honey can be stored at room temperature. It seems room temperature is not the ideal conditions for honey. The optimal temperature for honey is lower than 64 degrees Fahrenheit, as it is often indicated on labels. A refrigerator door, pantry or cellar are better storage places than a kitchen cupboard or a countertop.
The beekeeper points out that keeping a jar of honey in a cupboard close to a heat source such as a gas stove, could lead to steam from cooking, heating up the cupboard and in turn, this could adversely affect the honey within. In addition, the room temperature is not uniform, consequently, the beekeeper clarifies the optimal temperature range for honey, which is between 59 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
Refrigeration is particularly significant for rape honey, tutsan honey, as well as early and multi-floral varieties. Due to their inclination to ferment when stored at room temperature. Even with high water content in honey harvested too early, refrigeration hinders the fermentation process by lowering the temperature.
Is it possible for honey to spoil?
As it turns out, honey can spoil, but only under two conditions. The first scenario is when the beekeeper extracts the honey prematurely, causing it to contain excessive amounts of water. This could lead to fermentation, resulting in foaming and giving off an alcoholic aroma.
The second scenario is storing honey for extended periods and exposing it to heat. This can result in the formation of a substance called hydroxymethylfurfural in the honey, which can be detrimental to health.
