Honey humidity and fermentation

Extracting the honey at the optimum time is essential to control the moisture content of the honey and to prevent further fermentation of the honey. This is because a high concentration of moisture causes the honey to ferment over time. This process is accelerated at high temperatures. Consequently, the humidity of the honey is a factor that the beekeeper must control very well in order not to spoil his entire crop

Summary: Controlling the humidity of honey is a very important factor as it indicates the quality of the honey. Also, exceeding humidity limits together with high temperatures leads to a fermentation of this natural product. Likewise, in our shop in Las Rozas de Madrid you will find a fantastic selection of monofloral and multifloral honeys of the highest quality.

Related articles: Where to buy quality raw honey? Raw unpasteurised honey.

1. Tips to control humidity

Humidity control is essential for two fundamental reasons. The first is for the preservation of the product itself, as it cannot exceed certain limits. The second is because it is also a variable that marks its quality. Honeys with high humidity are honeys that are not completely finished or that have been manipulated.

Regardless of the reasons or causes, here are some tips on how to avoid high honey moisture content.

a) Harvesting honey combs

The beekeeper should wait until the comb is at least 80 % operculated. Otherwise, the honey is not yet ready and contains a high degree of moisture. The quality of the honey is also higher at this rate.

If the honey is removed earlier, it will be of poorer quality and the honey may ferment, especially if the temperature is warm. It would also be a deception

b) Quick extraction and packaging

Once the honey has been extracted from the supers, it should be packaged quickly. Honey is a hygroscopic product, and easily absorbs humidity from the environment. We must also try to ensure that the extraction and packaging area does not have high levels of humidity. For this purpose, we can frequently ventilate the packaging area and avoid any source of humidity.

b) Moisture analysis

Perhaps the problem is that some hive is not doing the job properly or for some other reason. For this, we can do frequent moisture analysis of the honey, so that we can remove the hives that contain high levels of moisture.

2. Honey fermentation process

Fermentation is a natural process carried out by microscopic yeasts when the humidity of the honey is high and is accelerated by increasing temperature. These yeasts come from the air itself or are already present in the honey, which came from flowers or trees. At temperatures above 20°C and humidity rates above 19%, the fermentation of the honey is activated.

This metabolic process consists of a catabolic process of incomplete oxidation that transforms the sugars in the honey into acetic acid (the acid in vinegar) and carbon dioxide gas. Consequently, the honey becomes acidic and unfit for consumption.

There are other factors that can favour fermentation, such as:

• Poor preservation of honey, both by the consumer and the beekeeper. If the honey is not well stored in an airtight container, dirt and moisture can still enter the honey. These are factors that promote fermentation.
• The natural crystallisation of the honey itself. When honey crystallises, it forms a network of sugar molecules, and the water contained in the honey separates from the crystals. As the water has a lower density, it rises to the top and the crystallised honey remains at the bottom. As a result, there is a higher concentration of water in the upper part of the drum or container. For this reason, the beekeeper must clean the containers thoroughly and remove all impurities in the storage drums.

In short, this is a problem that must be controlled, as the consequences are that the beekeeper will run out of honey. However, it is a problem that is not very difficult to solve, as beekeepers tell us. In the case of consumers, it is not usually a problem as they do not tend to store honey for long periods of time.

3. Stopping fermentation

In the case of honey purchased from quality beekeepers, it is difficult for the honey to ferment, as they package honey with low moisture concentration. It is also rare if the honey is consumed quickly. However, it is true that some honey with naturally high humidity, such as loquat honey, could give us some problems. In such a case, we should open the honey jar and remove the top layer that has the most moisture. Afterwards, we should close the honey again.

In the case of beekeepers, they have to be very careful to extract the honey at the right moment and to carry out the extraction practices when the honeycomb is more than 80% opercularised. It would be a very serious case to find the beekeeper with swollen drums. In such a case, the honey would already be fermented and could not be used for human consumption.

In short, fermentation is a problem, but if the process is carried out properly it should not cause major problems. In the case of the final consumer, if he/she buys quality honeys from reliable national beekeepers, he/she should never have any problems with fermentation. However, it is true that with some honeys, such as lemon or loquat honey, you may encounter somewhat higher moisture levels compared to other honeys.

3. Consumer deception

The sale of honey with a higher moisture content, besides causing problems due to possible fermentation, is also a deception to the consumer. A honey with a higher moisture content is a honey that is not finished. Consequently, water is sold as honey and the production process is shortened for the bees. The bees no longer have to work to finish the production process.

Therefore, a quality honey must have a low moisture content. However, some honeys, such as loquat honey, naturally have a higher moisture concentration than normal.

4. Fermented honey garlic

Source:

Portal apícola Argentino