Honey Facts

[cat lover]

Did you know that granulation doesn't affect the taste or purity of honey? It never spoils. You can use it in the granulated form or restore it to a liquid by placing the open glass jar (don't do this to plastic containers) in a pan of hot water till the crystals melt.

Honey is sold by weight- a 12 ounce jar = one standard 8 fluid ounce measuring cup

Honey can be measured easy by using the same cup you have used for oil in a recipe OR spray the cup with nonstick spray before measuring out the honey; it will slide right out!

:)

[cat lover]

What is Honey?

Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains other sugars as well trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids.

Honey is "manufactured" in one of the world's most efficient factories, the beehive. Bees may travel as far as 55,000 miles and visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just a pound of honey.

The color and flavor of honey differ depending on the bees' nectar source (the blossoms). In fact, there are more than 300 unique kinds of honey in the United States, originating from such diverse floral sources as Clover, Eucalyptus and Orange Blossoms. In general, lighter colored honeys are mild in flavor; while darker honeys are usually more robust in flavor.

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Types of Honey:

Comb honey: Honey presented in its original comb or portions thereof.

Extracted honey: Honey removed from the comb and presented in several forms, as defined in the United States Department of Agriculture Standards for Grades: (1) liquid, (2) crystallized or granulated, or (3) partially crystallized. This is commonly known as "honey."

Designation of Honey Sources:
The source of honey determines many of the attributes of honey, e.g., aroma, flavor, color and composition.

Floral: Indicates the primary flowers from which bees gathered nectar to produce the honey.

Non-Floral: Indicates primary sources other than flowers such as extra-floral nectarines and honeydew.

Geographic Origin: The name of an area of production (state, region) may be included, provided the honey has been produced entirely within that area. Blends containing honey of foreign origin must be labeled to indicate their origin(s), in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Source: National Honey Board

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Forms of Honey:

Blended Honey: A homogeneous mixture of two or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density or geographic origin.

Churned Honey: See whipped honey.

Cremed Honey: See whipped honey.

Crystallized Honey: Honey in which part of the natural glucose content has spontaneously crystallized from solution as the monohydrate. Also called "Granulated Honey."

Filtered Honey: Honey processed by filtration to remove extraneous solids and pollen grains.

Honey Fondant: See whipped honey.

Organic Honey: Honey produced, processed, and packaged in accordance with State and Federal regulations on honey and organic products, and certified by a State Department of Agriculture or an independent organic farming certification organization.

Raw Honey: Honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat.

Commercially Raw Honey: Honey as obtained by minimum processing. This product is often labeled as raw honey.
Notes: 1) Storage or exposure to either ambient (environmental) or applied (deliberately added) heat influences the character of honey. 2) Enzymatic activity, antimicrobial properties, microbial quality, color and chemical composition are all influenced by heat and storage. 3) There are an infinite number of time and temperature combinations that will affect the raw state of honey. 4) The definition of "minimum" processing can be set by purchasing standards.

Spun© Honey: See whipped honey.

Strained Honey: Honey which has been passed through a mesh material to remove particulate material (pieces of wax, propolis, other defects) without removing pollen.

Whipped Honey: Honey processed, by controlled crystallization, to a smooth spreadable consistency. Also called "Cremed Honey," "Spun© Honey," "Whipped Honey," "Churned Honey," "Candied Honey" or "Honey Fondant."

Source: National Honey Board

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What is the shelf-life of honey?

Honey stored in sealed containers can remain stable for decades and even centuries! However, honey is susceptible to physical and chemical changes during storage; it tends to darken and lose its aroma and flavor. This is a temperature dependent process, making the shelf life of honey difficult to define. For practical purposes, a shelf life of two years is often stated. Properly processed, packaged and stored honey retains its quality for a long time.

Source: National Honey Board

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What is the best storage temperature for honey?

Processed honey should be stored between 64 to 75 degrees F (18 to 24 degrees C). Honey can be exposed to higher temperatures for brief periods; however, heat damage is cumulative so heat exposure should be limited. It is best to minimize temperature fluctuations and avoid storing honey near heat sources. The recommended storage temperature for unprocessed honey is below 50 degrees F (10 degrees C). The ideal temperature for both unprocessed and processed honey is below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C). Cooler temperatures best preserve the aroma, flavor and color of unprocessed honey.

Source: National Honey Board