Granulated honey is not spoiled...

The Chemistry of Crystallization

The very contents of honey make it susceptible to crystallization. It is a glucose-supersaturated solution - it makes up over 30% of honey's content. It is the glucose in honey that crystallizes. How does it work?

1. Nucleation: Describes the point at which a substance, in this case the glucose in honey, experiences a physical change such as crystallization.

In dissolved form, glucose molecules alternate between open-chain forms and one of four cyclic (ring) forms. One of the cyclic forms is both a) more common in dissolved glucose and b) the only molecule present when it is solid. When this ring form of molecule begins to cluster in the honey, the clusters of molecules become more stable. The larger the cluster, the greater the stability - a stable cluster is called a 'nucleus' (plural: nuclei).

2. Crystal Growth:

Crystals are nuclei that achieve the cluster size required to become stable (i.e., they will not spontaneously redissolve). The process basically takes on a life of its own at this point. When making creamed honey, it is exactly this process that takes place. In fact, just putting a small amount of creamed (very finely granulated) honey into liquid honey can start the process of granulation.

Returning Your Honey to Liquid Form

Theoretically, honey does not have a shelf life. Provided there is no contamination, you could keep a jar of honey for thousands of years, and it would remain edible. Granulated honey is not contaminated honey, and it can be returned to liquid form. Some people even seek out and buy granulated honey (both of the finely creamed and roughly granulated forms).

To reliquify your honey, place your container in pot of warming water. Personally, I use a double boiler so that the container does not directly touch the surface being heated (especially important if your container is plastic). Don't boil the water, but heat slowly (some people recommend approximately 50 degrees Celsius). The process should take a few hours. Using boiling water can pasteurize your honey and microwaving is just not a process I ever use on food. It is not recommended, however, to reliquify honey over and over, especially if you have an unpasteurized sample.

A few final notes. Raw honey (honey that has not undergone any processing, heating, etc.) will crystallize very quickly, especially if it contains a high pollen content. Honey derived from different plants will granulate at different rates. Tupelo honey, for example, does not crystallize as often. Further, honey stored at cooler temperatures will crystallize quickly. Finally, do NOT add water to honey. You increase the chances that the honey will ferment or go bad.

---

Return to Bees Alive! home from Crystallised or Granulated Honey

Return to Liquid Gold...or Honey from Crystallised or Granulated Honey