Why Does Honey Crystallise?
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    Why Does Honey Crystallise?

    When we go to the supermarket, we are used to seeing honey in those handy plastic jars, ready to be turned upside down and to allow easy sweetening of drinks and more. It will be almost impossible to find a solid, grainy honey. Why?

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    26/10/2018Of Elena Fraccaro
    1448 Views
    26/10/2018Of Elena Fraccaro
    1448 Views

    3Bee's approach to biodiversity protection

    3Bee is the Nature Tech company that develops technologies for the protection of biodiversity. 3Bee Hive-Tech is 3Bee's first system for analysing the health and 'starvation' status of honeybees, environmental pests par excellence. Over time, we have developed other technologies to study and monitor all the pollinating insects and created more than 200 Oases of Biodiversity with thousands of nectariferous plants to provide them with nourishment. In this way, we want to create a virtuous circle: our beekeepers are transformed by necessity into Oasis growers and promoters of environmental biodiversity. We do not encourage massive production and intensive breeding, which have a negative impact on biodiversity and pollinators. We do, however, recognise the value of honey as a valuable symbol of the biodiversity of an environment and a tool for disseminating the commitment and protection of an area, to be consumed sparingly and with respect for the life cycle of these insects.

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    What is crystallisation?

    Contrary to what one might think, crystallisation is a natural process that affects honey and is a sign of its genuineness. Honey presents itself as a over-saturated solution of sugars, where the sugars are the solute and far outweigh the water, the solvent, in which they are supposed to be dissolved. This causes the solution to be unstable and the only way to achieve stability is through precipitation and crystallisation of the excess sugars. So why does honey crystallise? Crystallisation is, therefore, an intrinsic characteristic of honey, linked to its chemical composition, and each type of honey has different crystallisation times and modes. These peculiarities, always indicated when describing the type of honey under consideration, depend on certain internal and external factors.

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    Glucose vs. fructose

    As we have seen, the sugars that make up honey are glucose and fructose, present in different concentrations in the various types of honey. Glucose is less soluble in water than fructose, so the higher the concentration of glucose, the greater the tendency for crystallisation. In some types there is so much glucose that it leads to solidification directly in the honeycomb (as in the case of ivy honey), creating not only problems for the beekeeper, but also for the bees themselves, who will find it harder to use it. Honeys with more fructose, on the other hand, crystallise more slowly, as in the case of acacia. To assess the tendency to crystallise, the ratio of fructose to glucose is often considered, which must be less than 1.3 for slower crystallisation (source: Bioapi).

    L'acqua

    Another factor to take into account is the amount of water present in honey. Being a supersaturated solution, increasing the water allows stability to be achieved by precipitating fewer crystals. However, one cannot indiscriminately increase the amount of water present in honey. In order to have an optimal product, not subject to fermentation or stickiness, the percentage of water must be between 18% and 16%. Since glucose is the sugar most responsible for crystallisation, we tend to measure its tendency to crystallise by assessing the ratio of glucose to water, which must be less than 1.7 to have a slow-crystallising honey.

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    Condensation cores and temperature

    In addition to glucose, however, one must also assess the presence of so-called 'condensation nuclei'. These are nothing more than individual crystals of glucose, grains of dust or pollen, or even tiny air bubbles. The more nuclei there are, the faster and finer the crystallisation process will be. As far as external factors are concerned, however, one cannot overlook the temperature. The temperature range within which crystallisation occurs most easily is between 5 and 25° C, with the maximum speed peaking around 14° C. Low temperatures slow down the process because they make crystal growth more difficult, while high temperatures destroy the crystals themselves. If one wants, therefore, to slow down the process, great care must be taken in honey storage temperatures.

    Temperature after crystallisation

    Once crystallised, honey can be made liquid again if placed in a bain-marie, at a temperature of about 40°C. Another way is to warm it up by holding it in your hands, even stirring it with a spoon. Alternatively, it can be placed near a heat source, such as a radiator, stove or fireplace. The important thing is not to subject it to excessively high temperatures that risk altering the product completely.

    One process, many different types

    Honey, once crystallised, can present itself in different forms, all due to different combinations of the factors we have listed above. Thus, we will have a more homogeneous honey, with coarser or finer crystals, creamy or with a more compact consistency. This too is part of the individual characterisation of honey, which distinguishes one typology from another. So if crystallisation is a natural process, why does the honey we see in the supermarket always remain liquid? Quite simply, honey destined for mass distribution often undergoes a pasteurisation process. This consists of rapidly heating the product (to around 73-78°C) and then cooling it just as rapidly. Generally, this procedure is carried out to eliminate bacteria and yeasts contained in the product.

    Adopt a beehive and receive its honey at home!

    Choosing honey correctly is therefore very important in order to benefit from its numerous properties. Strictly speaking, a crystallised honey is synonymous with a quality product, as it has not undergone industrial alteration treatments. However, it is always advisable to know where the product you are buying comes from. For this reason, choosing honey from your trusted beekeeper is very important, or you can decide to adopt a 3Bee hive! By adopting a beehive, you will not only be able to receive the honey it produces in your home, but you will also be able to check it daily directly from your phone thanks to our remote monitoring systems.

    26/10/2018Of Elena Fraccaro
    1448 Views
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