Honey melezitose crystallization from

Preparation. Melezitose-rich honey provides the best source since the crystallized sugar is easily separated by dilution of the honey with alcohol followed by centrifugation (151). Mannas from various sources may be utilized by extracting the impurities with aqueous alcohol and then extracting the trisaccharide with water (152). The sugar crystallizes from the aqueous extracts after the addition of alcohol. 

The crystallization of turanose was first reported by Pacsu and the writer24 as follows In 1918 one of us (H.) found an abundant supply of the rare melezitose in a certain kind of honeydew honey and from it he prepared a small quantity of sirupy turanose in the hope of crystallizing it. Other samples of turanose sirup were prepared subsequently from this stock of melezitose by other workers in the same laboratory. Recently it was observed by D. H. Brauns that one of these sirups, the exact history of which is not now known, had crystallized after standing many years. By the use of these crystals to nucleate turanose sirups which we have lately prepared from melezitose, it has been possible to obtain a rapid crystallization of the sugar in abundant quantities. To this quotation the writer can now add the information, kindly supplied recently by Mr. C. F. Walton, Jr., that Mr. Walton prepared the other samples of turanose sirup. ... 

Occurrence. The sugar, discovered by Berthelot in 1859, is a constituent of the sweet exudations of many plants such as the honeydew of limes and poplars, and the manna exuded from insect-produced wounds of the Douglas fir, Virginia pine, larch, etc. In dry seasons when the supply of flower nectar is insufficient, bees may collect these mannas or honeydews, and the honeys may contain considerable quantities of melezitose (151). When the quantity of the trisaccharide is great, crystallization of the honey may take place in the comb. Probably because of the resistance of the melezitose to hydrolysis by invertase, honeys which contain this sugar will not serve as food for bees. 

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