Honey storage

Higher profits are the major incentive for unlawful adulteration. The traditional adulterants are inverted sugar syrup, conventional com syrup, and high-fructose com syrup. Dehydration of fructose can produce hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). HMF is usually indicative of adulteration with inverted sugar syrup. However, it is somewhat ambiguous because HMF can legally be present in honey that has been subjected to heat or abusive storage. 

Enzyme activity can indicate the exposure of honey to heating and long storage. This criterion is not more accurate than the HMF content value because enzyme activities vary with honey samples. The diastase activity is usually associated with heat treatment. However, its activity gives only an indication about the processing (heat treatment) of the honey but is not suitable for the detection of the origin. 

White, J. W., Kushnir, I., and Subers, M. H. (1964). Effect of storage and processing temperatures on honey quality. Food Technol. 18, 555-558. 

Effects of Thermal Treatment and Storage on Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) Content and Diastase Activity of Honeys Collected from Middle Anatolia in Turkey... 

Several factors influence the formation of HMF in honey temperature and time of heating storage conditions use of metallic containers and the chemical properties of honey, which are related to the floral source from which the honey has been extracted, these indicate pH, total acidity, mineral content however, no information on the conelation between chemical characteristics and HMF level of the honey is available. 

This study has two goals The first one is to investigate the effects of storage on HMF formation and diastase activity of honey. Second one is to determine HMF level and formation kinetics of honey after heating process. For this purpose 40 samples of honey were collected from Middle Anatolia and surrounding areas. The physicochemical properties of honey collected were determined. The obtained data were compared with results of other researchers. 

Upon storage for up to 12 months at 25 1°C, the HMF in all honey samples increased progressively with four samples showing the least HMF level. With the exception of two samples, all other honey samples were either very close or have exceeded the maximum allowed level of HMF of 40 mg/kg in the Turkish Alimentarus Codex [17]. This is a clear indication that at such a high storage temperature, honey should not be kept for more than eight months. 

The storage temperature of honey should be carefully controlled to preserve its quality. At its best, honey should be consumed within six months following its harvesting. 

Honey. A natural syrup which vanes in composition and flavor, depending upon die plant source from which die nectar was collected by die honeybee, the amount of processing, and the duration of storage. The pnncipal sugars contained in honey are fructose and glucose, the same components as in table sugar. There are minute amounts of vitamins and minerals in honey, but these are not usually considered in terms of calculating minimum requirements. 

Water is the second major component of honey (17.2 g/100 g Table 4.1). It depends not only on environmental factors, such as the weather and humidity inside the hive, but also on the treatments applied during nectar and honey collection and storage (Olaitan et al., 2007). It is an important quality parameter because it predicts the shelf life of the product and the capacity of the honey to remain stable and free from fermentation. Higher... 

Use of the starch-iodine complex has been reported for the disinfection of wounds and for the artificial insemination of animals.310 Food containers may also be disinfected with this complex.311 Uses of the starch-iodine complex in the iodization of food312,313 and ruminant fodder314 have also been described. This complex has been found effective in the storage preservation of cabbage and carrots,315 potatoes,316 and apples 317 The addition of 0.0005 to 0.005% of the complex to bee honey also improves its properties it was reported that the application of a 1% aqueous solution of the complex for spraying bee houses increased the yield of honey.318... 

---