Sometimes, on purchased honey, you can notice a bundle, divided into two parts, which differs in consistency and color. There is an opinion that this is a sign of artificial and divorced honey. But it is not so. If it is stratified, then this does not mean its inadequate quality. In this article, we will talk about why honey is stratified and how it can be recognized from a fake.
Do they take honey that has been stratified?
Most of the reasons for changing such a product will not harm the body. The only exceptions are falsified, as well as overheated honey, which is forbidden to eat.
As for other factors, they are safe for humans, although they alter their taste. In the event that the purchase of immature honey was made or storage conditions were not met, then it can stratify and ferment. After which, a sour taste and smell will appear. On top of that, the lid may swell. This product, when consumed in food, will not harm a person, but, nevertheless, its taste may not satisfy a connoisseur of honey.
Therefore, it is perfect for baking and marinade. If the bee product is stratified due to natural reasons, then this will not affect its taste and healthy qualities. Such honey can undoubtedly be eaten.
Why is honey stratified
There are a number of reasons why this can happen:
- Stratification in a natural way. There is also a natural process of honey stratification. It is worth noting that it is very slow, so experts may not notice this. Everyone knows that honey contains fructose and glucose. The first component leads to a dilution of the product, and the second, on the contrary, crystallizes it. So, stratification depends on the predominance of one or another component. As a rule, fructose is contained in a small amount, which affects the uniformity of the crystals. Stratification of honey occurs when the ratio of these components becomes the same amount.
- Breeding honey to increase volume. There are times when an unscrupulous seller, to increase the volume, mixes honey with starch, flour, water, sugar syrup and even chalk. It is not surprising that as a result of such actions, consumers have a question about why honey is stratified in the bank.
- Gathering ahead of time. When pumping out honey before the due date, due to an excess of moisture in it, a dark liquid appears on the unripe product. An unripe product cannot be considered a quality product and, if stored for a long time, it will simply begin to lose its beneficial properties, while acquiring an acidic taste. It is advisable to use such honey for a short time before the moment when it does not begin to ferment.
- Mix of different varieties. To avoid stratification of the layers of honey, do not mix different varieties with each other. Since in this process rejection of different species may occur, but this does not affect the taste and useful properties.
- Overheating. If, when buying honey, you noticed traces of delamination, then perhaps it was exposed to intense heat. As a rule, such a product is divided into layers at a mark of 35-36 degrees, and at a temperature of 40 begins to lose all its useful qualities. Even the usual transportation of honey in hot weather can trigger a stratification process.
To the question of why honey is stratified, it is answered in detail in the following video:
- Incorrect storage. In order to preserve the beneficial properties of a bee product for a longer period, storage conditions must be observed. It is not recommended to keep honey in rooms with a high moisture content, especially with a lid that is not tightly closed. Due to the fact that it has the ability to absorb all moisture from the environment, such conditions will lead to delamination of the product. Therefore, it is very important to store bee products in hermetically sealed containers, in order to avoid changes in the consistency of honey.
What is the difference between exfoliated natural honey and fake honey?
Due to the stratification of the bee product, it is not difficult to distinguish quality honey from fake. Natural stratification during long-term storage indicates that the product is natural. In this case, neither its taste, nor smell, nor composition should change. Artificial honey or the product that was stored in a humid room will begin to ferment over time, and also give out a sour taste, smell and barely noticeable foam on the surface. When buying honey, pay attention to the container where it is contained. If the lid is swollen, it means that the product has started to ferment. And its sour taste and smell will confirm the above.
Honey connoisseurs need to know why honey exfoliates in order to make a choice in favor of a quality product when buying.
Storage Features
Natural honey has wonderful properties that can be preserved for many years. In order not to ask yourself the question why honey is stratified into two layers, you must follow the simple rules, which are presented below.
Temperature
It is recommended to store honey at temperatures from minus six to plus twenty degrees. Thus, room temperature does not quite suit sweet nectar, since at a mark above twenty degrees, its properties change for the worse. And at temperatures over forty degrees, most of the important vitamins will disappear.
Low temperature does not adversely affect the quality of honey, but when the mark drops below zero, the product begins to harden, while leaving all useful elements unchanged. According to experts, to maintain the beneficial qualities of honey, it is necessary to maintain a stable temperature. With temperature changes, the product begins to crystallize unevenly.
Thus, if you choose a room for storing honey, give preference to a cool place. In this case, the sweet product will not be delaminated and sugared, and its shelf life will also increase.
Choose storage capacity
Many are interested in the question of why honey is stratified when stored in a bank. To prevent this, it is necessary to choose the right capacity. For the preservation of honey, a variety of containers are suitable: enameled, glass, ceramic and others. An exception is iron galvanized dishes, since when contacted with lead, zinc or copper, the bee product becomes toxic and acquires an unpleasant taste. In this regard, experts do not recommend collecting honey with an iron spoon, as well as leaving it in a container.
Examples of suitable cookware
One of the main criteria when choosing a container is that it is absolutely clean, dry and free of extraneous food. Therefore, the containers should be washed, instead of liquid products, with household soap and then rinsed with plenty of running water.
The best options for storing nectar are:
- aluminum cookware;
- glass;
- stainless iron;
- clay;
- ceramic;
- enameled.
Special plastic containers are also suitable, but such containers have a short shelf life of only one year. To enclose a bee product from domestic pests, excess moisture and odors, any container must be tightly closed.
Clay dishes
You can store the sweet product in processed clay containers, coated with glaze from the inside. The basic requirements for such utensils are as follows: it must be hermetically sealed, clean and free of odors.
Wooden
If we talk about wooden containers, then you can use barrels made of wood, where humidity should not exceed 16 percent. These include: cedar, birch, alder, aspen, linden, beech and willow. Honey should not be stored in oak products, as the contents in this container will darken. It is also not recommended to use soft ware for storage, as it contains a pungent smell of resin.
Glass
Glass jars are the best option for storing honey, as they are chemically neutral and do not enter into any reactions, and also help to preserve the bee product for a longer period. But this capacity also has one drawback - glass dishes have no way to protect the contents from the penetration of sunlight. But this problem is easily eliminated, for this it is only necessary to remove the containers in a dark place.
Plastic
We have already noted the fact that it is not recommended to store honey in plastic containers for more than one year. We add that this dish should be exclusively for food and have a tight lid.
So, we found out why the honey stratified into a liquid and thick texture. Do not forget that this occurs at high temperatures, so a cool place is best for storage.