Unpasteurized raw honey
Unpasteurised honey is bee honey that has not undergone any adulteration process, neither thermal nor chemical. It is therefore a natural product produced solely by bees from the nectar of flowers or the honeydew of trees. For this reason, it is a fantastic product that nature gives us and that contains a large amount of nutrients necessary for our health. Furthermore, as no living beings are harmed during its extraction, it is a product that is totally respectful of the environment and the bees. Also, in our shop in Las Rozas de Madrid you have at your disposal a fantastic selection of raw honeys from Spain.
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Summary:Unpasteurised honey is a fantastic natural product that comes as it comes from the hive itself, without suffering any adulteration. It is therefore a product given to us by nature and is rich in nutrients necessary for our health. We are also going to look at some key concepts of honeys in order to differentiate between raw honey and low-quality honeys. Also, possible dangers that one can have when consuming low quality or adulterated honey. Finally, we offer in our store in Las Rozas de Madrid a fantastic selection of high-quality honeys obtained by environmentally sustainable processes.
Other studies: Where to buy quality raw honey. Honey is fattening, myth or reality? Flowers for honey. The 5 best honeys in the world. History, bees and pollination.
1. What is real honey?
First of all, real honey should not have a surname, because according to the RAE (Royal Academy of the Spanish Language), honey is: a food that comes from nectar and is transformed by bees in their stomach’. However, honey is manipulated and even additives are added to it on the market today. This is not harmful to health, but it is a deception of the consumer, selling a lower quality product for a superior one.
Therefore, one should know the characteristics of quality honey and know how to distinguish it from adulterated honey. Unfortunately, however, this is not easy in the vast majority of cases. In big adulterations, it may be easier, but in the adulterations that we find on the market, they are usually very fine. In the latter case, they can only be distinguished by laboratory analysis or by being very well informed about what you are buying.
Video 1: Honey extraction
Secondly, these are the only processes that a real, i.e. unpasteurised honey should undergo. Therefore, from the time it leaves the hive until it reaches the consumer.
a) Honey extraction process
The extraction of honey begins with uncapping the honeycomb, which involves removing the outer layer of wax that seals the cells. By removing this wax layer, the honey can flow freely out of the cells. The uncapped combs are then centrifuged to extract all the honey from the cells using centrifugal force. Subsequently, the honey is passed through a filter to remove impurities, as there may be traces of wax and other substances from the hive. Finally, it is stored in tanks for subsequent packaging in smaller cans.
Typically, beekeepers store their honey production in large tanks of around 500 kg. This allows them to extract the honey as needed based on demand.
Picture 1: Unpasteurized honey not yet extracted
b) Packaging of the honey
The final step is the packaging of the honey for final sale to the consumer. Therefore, the honey packaged in large tanks is transferred to smaller jars. This can be done manually or with packaging machines. Once packaged, the label is added and the honey is ready for sale.
Normally, the honey in the large containers is crystallised, and in order to be able to package it, the beekeeper slightly raises the temperature of the honey in order to decrystallise it so that it can be packaged. In this operation, the honey does not reach temperatures higher than 40°C. Consequently, the natural product does not lose any properties, keeping its flavour and aroma intact.
The crystallisation process is a natural process caused by cool temperatures. For this reason, packaged honey will crystallise again over time. This is why we often find it solid, especially in winter and spring.
For lovers of natural honey, it is also possible to buy honey with the comb included. In this case, the honey will be packaged in its comb, and it will only have gone through the cutting process of putting the piece of comb into the jar.
c) Crystallization in its packaging
Once the raw and unpasteurized honey is packaged in a jar and takes the room temperature. Here, the honey starts to become cloudy, beginning right now its crystallization process in the jar. This process is slower in summer because of the higher temperatures and is faster in winter with cooler temperatures. At higher temperatures, the opposite process also occurs; the crystallized honey becomes liquid when taking the heat from the environment.
With crystallization, a more or less thick, white, dusty film or layer may appear on the honey, consisting mainly of glucose crystals on the top of the jar and on the honey in contact with the glass. Over time, the crystallization process continues until the entire pot hardens.
In winter, if you buy raw honeys, they may be solidified or in the process of solidifying, and in summer with higher temperatures, the honey remains in a liquid state for longer, or decrystallizes if it passes from a solid to a liquid state.
With decrystallization, the honey can soften and form two phases. First the glucose enriched crystals, due to their greater weight, descend to the bottom of the container, and the solution enriched with levulose, of a dark colour, rises upwards. At this point, the honey is at risk of fermentation. Fermentation is not harmful to health, but it would give honey strange tastes and smells.
Picture 2: Raw unpasteurized honey packaging
2. Key concepts of unpasteurised honey
Understanding some of the terms used in beekeeping and the honey sector is fundamental to knowing the honey you want to buy. So let’s take a look at these key concepts.
a) Crystallisation of honey
Crystallisation is a natural process by which honey changes from a liquid to a solid state. This change in structure involves a change in the state of the honey molecules, mainly glucose. In this process, the glucose loses energy and forms a crystalline network, taking on a solid or hard structure.
This process occurs more rapidly in lighter honeys than in darker ones (such as heather), as lighter honeys contain higher levels of glucose (such as lavender, rosemary). However, there are exceptions, such as Acacia honey, which, despite being very light, either takes a long time to crystallize or does not crystallize at all.
Additionally, the crystallization of unpasteurized honey is accelerated when the honey is at temperatures close to 14°C. Similarly, remnants of propolis, micro air bubbles, pollen, wax residues, etc., accelerate this crystallization process. Conversely, high mineral content and lower proportions of glucose retard crystallization. Consequently, calculating the speed of natural crystallization is not as predictable as it may seem.
With the crystallization process, raw unpasteurized honey undergoes changes in color and texture, but without any loss of flavor, aroma, or properties. This process is entirely natural and occurs in any honey over time and at cool temperatures.
In summary, crystallization is a natural process that solidifies honey and does not affect its beneficial properties.
Photo 3: unpasteurized honey from Sierra Montoro
a) Pasteurisation
Pasteurisation of honey consists of subjecting the honey to high temperatures of about 78°C for six to seven minutes, and then cooling it rapidly. This process kills yeasts, melts the glucose crystals (remember that these are the culprits of crystallisation) and removes nutrients.
The destruction of yeasts prevents the honey from fermenting. However, it also serves another purpose: killing the yeast makes it more difficult for the honey to ferment, and allows it to be brought within the legal moisture limits. The aim is to add more water to the honey, in order to increase the honey’s profitability. A quality honey, with a low water content, is added with water, and we obtain a greater quantity of honey and a higher income.
At the same time, it destroys its enzymes, vitamins, antioxidants and other antibacterial components. Pasteurisation, therefore, slows down the crystallisation of honey, but at the same time destroys a large part of its organoleptic, health and healing properties.
Pasteurisation also destroys the delicate and pleasant flavours that are hidden in each variety of raw honey. It is also responsible for destroying enzymes that prevent the bees that are responsible for the activation of vitamins.
c) So, what is a quality raw honey?
Therefore, a high quality honey should always be raw and unpasteurised. This would be the first step to buy a quality honey. However, its liquid or solid state is not a determining factor that proves quality. Its physical state depends on the variety, the ambient temperature and when it was packaged. It is true that pasteurised honey takes a long time to crystallise, but there are substitutes that also crystallise.
Clearly, what we should be suspicious of are honeys that never crystallise over time. This is because they may be honeys that have undergone the pasteurisation process. However, we cannot rely solely on this characteristic.
We also have to take into account that the crystallisation process does not have the same speed for all honeys. Darker honeys such as heather, holm oak and forest honeys take a long time to crystallise. Moreover, if it coincides with the summer season, they may remain liquid for longer, even if they are of high quality. Another exceptional case is acacia honey, a very light honey, which also takes years to crystallise even if it is not crystallised.
Other fundamental characteristics of a quality honey are its floral aromas and fruity flavours when tasted. A honey that neither tastes nor smells, makes it clear that it has been manipulated.
In short, the crystallisation of honey is a sign of quality, but other characteristics that demonstrate its quality must be studied.
d) What is the difference between raw and cooked honey?
As we have indicated, raw honey is the honey that comes from the hive itself. In the case of cooked honey, which is a new concept that is being introduced, it is honey that has been pasteurised. As a result, this honey will have lost much of its health-promoting properties. The enzymes and vitamins contained in honey are destroyed by high temperatures.
In short, it is the most commercial and low-priced honey. It is the honey that is most widely available in large supermarkets.
Photo 4: Quote abot bees
3. Methods for analysing the quality of honey
Honey is one of the most manipulated food products actually. Since it is very easy to mix honey with other low quality or non-honey sources. This causes enormous damage to beekeepers, small and medium sized packers and honey stores.
However, there are indicators that can be used to detect these fraudulent practices:
- Pollen analysis
- Physico-chemical analysis
- Sensory analysis
Unfortunately, all of them are expensive. For this reason, usually they are not made. However, what we get with them.
a) Origin of honey pollen
First of all, if we know the origin of the honey, which flowers the bees have visited, and if we contrast these sources with a geographical location, we can detect whether the honey has been adulterated. This can be known by analysing the origin of the pollen. Therefore, this is achieved with a mesopotamian analysis.
Likewise, the ultra-filtration of honey is a practice carried out to hide the origin of the honey. This process consists of heating the honey to very high temperatures and then passing it through very fine filters. As a result, the pollen is retained in these very fine pore filters and the pollen is removed from the honey.
However, once the honey has gone through this process, it should already be called honey. Because the high temperatures, and the removal pollen of the honey, end up with most of the beneficial properties of the honey. Therefore, this process is turning honey into a simple sweetener.
b) Honey pollen variety
Bees, like other animals, need a varied and balanced diet. Therefore they need a varied source of pollen. This will strengthen their immune system and be less sensitive to disease.
4. Honey States
Raw honey can be presented in three different states:
a) Liquid state
The honey is made in liquid form by the bees, and it is crystallised later inside the cells. To remove it from the cells and to bottle it, the beekeepers heat the honey slightly, above about 40 ºC, and in this way they can extract and bottle it. Once the honey has been bottled, depending on the type of honey and other factors, it goes into a solid state agian.
The consumer can also turn the honey into a liquid state by heating it. We recommend to do it by bain-marie.
b) Creamy state
The creamy state that is not easily found in Spain, is very useful for spreading on toast. Also, from a commercial point of view, probably its is the most atractive state.
The creamy state is obtained from the liquid state. This creamy state can be achieved in different ways, one more natural and other more industrial
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Mechanical method:
This state can be achieved by the beekeeper or packer by controlling and directing the crystallization. At the same time, a mechanical system beats the honey until it reaches this creamy state.
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Induced crystallization method:
In this method the liquid honey is mixed with 10 or 20% of ground honey crystals, achieving this creamy texture.
c) Solid state
The solid state is the natural state of honey in its least energetic form. All quality honey, if left alone in a cool place naturally tends to this state.
Video 2: Our beekeeper Jesús Moreno
Freezing point
When we lower the temperature of the honey, it becomes thicker and less viscous. From -20°C onwards, the honey becomes more solid although it still maintains its fluidity, and it is at this temperature that we could say that the honey is frozen. However, contrary to what one might think, lowering the temperature of the honey slows down the crystallisation of the honey.
As honey has a very low moisture content, its melting point is very low, as the melting point of pure water is 0 ºC.
Likewise, if we lower the unpasteurised honey to such low temperatures, the honey does not lose any properties.
5. Dangers of raw honey
The dangers of unpasteurised honey if the beekeeper has his facilities in optimal conditions are nil. This is not the case with honeys that are stored or packaged in places that do not have adequate cleaning conditions. These honeys could store bacteria spores, like bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Later, these can develop and create a very serious infection in the person.
For this reason, we must consume raw honey of quality from reliable beekeepers. We have visited all our beekeepers and asked for their health records. In this way we ensure the highest quality and food safety of the honeys. In addition, all of them pass state veterinary checks.
a) Poisonous honey
There are some types of honey that can have poisonous components, which can cause vomiting, nausea, headaches and even unconsciousness. Also, in the most extreme case, they may contain spores of the “Clostridium botulinum” bacteria, which will kill you.
Photo 5: Flowers of Madrid
6. How to re-liquefy crystalized honey?
Easy methods to turn crystallized honey back to liquid form!:
a) Bain Marie
If we have unpasteurized honey in a solid state and we want it to be liquid, the best method is to put it in a bain-marie. To put it in a bain-marie we must do the following:
First, we must put it in a big container, like a casserole, with water in the inside. Later place the glass jar inside of the container with woter. If you have the honey in a plastic or ceramic jar, you should always put the honey in a glass jar, where you will do a bain Marie.
Secondly, once the honey has taken temperature, we must stir the honey until it becomes completely liquid. Keep in mind that this method is slow, but this way it will not damage the properties of the honey.
You should also know, that if you store this honey in a cool place, the honey will return to its solid state rapidly. How quickly this happens will depend on the temperature approaching 14 degrees and the type of honey.
b) Honey Heaters
In the market there are deposits that heat the unpasteurized honey, and so it remains in its liquid state for longer time. However, these heaters are large in size and are designed for beekeepers and packers.
c) What should we not do?
What we should not do, is to put the honey in the microwave, since it will load properties of the honey.
On the Internet, we have found another way, which is a little strange, to go into liquid form, is to put unpasteurized honey in the dishwasher. This method seems a bit strange to me. Furthermore, we don’t recommend it either, because water could get into the honey and besides. Also, it would take very high temperatures that would eliminate properties of the honey.
Source:
Website about Information of unpasteurized Honey
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