Why has my honey crystallised and is it still okay to eat?
You’ve reached for the honey as you do every morning. Your porridge is ready for the sweet, finishing touch to be drizzled on top. But what meets you isn’t the honey you last put away, instead you’re met by a thicker, more grainy texture. The good news is, it’s definitely still safe to eat.
This is the end result of a process that’s called crystallisation. On first instinct, you may think that this is a signal that your honey has gone off. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In many cases, crystallisation is actually seen as a sign of authentic, quality honey.
This is because crystallisation is a natural process in honey. After all, it is a natural product, with natural reactions that take place. And the best part is, it’s entirely reversible! Not only is your honey not ruined at all, in just a few short minutes it will be back to its usual runny texture.
What is crystallisation?
Honey naturally contains a small amount of water as part of its composition. It's never added during production. Over time, the sugars in honey (mainly glucose and fructose) separate out from this water content, as there's more sugar than the water can hold. This separation is what forms the small crystals you see, and it happens because honey is a supersaturated solution.
Different honeys will crystallise at different rates, due to a multitude of factors. These can include the ratio of fructose to glucose, drying process, and even the flower type that the bees foraged on when producing the honey. For example, acacia honey is renowned for staying clear and runny for longer periods due to the acacia flower being high in fructose, whereas some spring nectars, such as clover and dandelion, will result in faster crystallisation. Higher glucose flower species will typically result in faster crystallisation, with higher fructose ratios yielding the opposite results.
Does crystallisation mean the honey has gone off?
Whilst it can be alarming to see your once-runny honey thicker and more grainy, it certainly isn’t a sign of spoilage. As it’s a natural process that takes place in supersaturated solutions, crystallisation is nothing to fear. In fact, as it’s an indicator of natural sugars separating from water contents.
All of our honey at Rowse goes through a series of analytical and sensory tests to ensure authenticity and purity. This covers everything, even how the honey tastes, looks and smells. You can learn more about the testing process here.
How do I fix honey that has crystallised?
It’s a simple, quick fix to get your honey back to its original texture. Just take the bottle or jar, and submerge it into a bowl of warm, not boiling, water and allow it to warm up for around 10 minutes. After this, your honey should have returned to its original texture. Just be careful not to boil the honey, as high temperatures can impact the quality of honey.
Microwaving should be avoided when heating your honey. Extreme or excessive heat can damage the natural enzymes of the honey, affecting the quality and the flavour.
What about set honey?
Set, spreadable honey has been churned and chilled to encourage a smoother, crystallised texture. However, it can become a little bit too hard to spread on toast, as with all honeys, it will firm up over time. Fortunately, the same principles apply to set honey, and a quick warm bath should return it to a more spreadable texture. You may not want to leave it for as long as you would a runny honey, if you prefer to keep that firmer, more spreadable consistency.
Should I refrigerate honey to prevent crystallisation?
No, the best way to store honey is to leave it in its original, air-tight container, in a cupboard or on a shelf that is out of direct sunlight. Cooler temperatures will only speed up the solidification process, so avoid the fridge.
When stored correctly, your honey will likely last for a seriously long time - honey that is thousands of years old has been found in Egyptian pyramids - and actually eaten! As long as you avoid allowing the moisture content within the honey to rise, or letting toast crumbs and other bits make their way into the jar, your honey will be good for as long as it lasts in your kitchen.
A combination of low moisture content, high acidity and some wonderful chemistry from our bees means that bacteria, mould and fungi will be unable to grow within any jar of properly kept honey.
Does Rowse Honey crystallise?
Rowse Honey will crystallise given the right conditions. All products within the Rowse range can and will undergo this process, including Manuka. The process for reversing the crystallisation remains the same, just a quick warm water bath will return your honey to its original state, no matter the type.
