The Reason Why Honey Never Really Goes Bad
Sep 02, 2013 19:26
There is a reason why honey is often referred to as "the food of the gods." Not only is it all natural and delicious, it can also last for centuries provided that you store it right.
Amina Harris, executive director of the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute at Univeristy of California, Davis says, “Honey in its natural form is very low moisture. Very few bacteria or microorganisms can survive in an environment like that, they just die. They’re smothered by it, essentially.” The fact that organisms can't survive long in honey means they don't get the chance to spoil it.
Besides its hygroscopic properties, another thing that sets honey apart from other sugars is its acidity; the pH between 3 and 4.5 kills off anything trying to make a home in honey. This probably explains it was used and investigated for medicinal properties for a long time, especially as a treatment for open wounds.
For more fascinating facts about honey and tips on how to store it, read the full post via i09
Amina Harris, executive director of the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute at Univeristy of California, Davis says, “Honey in its natural form is very low moisture. Very few bacteria or microorganisms can survive in an environment like that, they just die. They’re smothered by it, essentially.” The fact that organisms can't survive long in honey means they don't get the chance to spoil it.
Besides its hygroscopic properties, another thing that sets honey apart from other sugars is its acidity; the pH between 3 and 4.5 kills off anything trying to make a home in honey. This probably explains it was used and investigated for medicinal properties for a long time, especially as a treatment for open wounds.
For more fascinating facts about honey and tips on how to store it, read the full post via i09
