Honey is a very powerful nutritional product, which if stored properly, will last for years, if not decades. In fact, honey has been found perfectly preserved in tombs of the Pharaohs in Egypt.
The quality of honey may be damaged by the following factors:
-
Excessive humidity
Ideally, the content of moisture in honey should be less than 17.8%. If the moisture content is too high, i.e. greater than 20%, honey can be fermented, because of the yeasts it has.
Since honey is hygroscopic, if it is not stored in a sealed container, it will absorb moisture from the air.
- Excessive heat
Honey loses many of the benefits for our health due to temperature and time.
- 40 °C for 30 days
- 30 °C for 6 months
- 20 °C for four years
- 10 °C for 35 years
Honey Storage Guidelines
- Store honey in a sealed non-metal container.
- For normal use, store the container in a cupboard (away from direct sunlight) at room temperature (21°C).
- For prolonged storage of honey (> 4 years), store at refrigerator temperature (4°C).