Can Honey Mold?
In this short article, we will provide an answer to the question, “can honey mold?”, while providing an in-depth analysis of what mold is, the reason for the long-lasting shelf life of honey, when can honey go bad, and how to store it correctly.
Can honey mold?
No, pure and adequately stored can never mold. However, there are a few instances in which it can go bad. Uncontaminated honey maintains its flavor and color for an indefinite amount of years and does not lose its unique taste.
Honey contains hygroscopic properties, which means that it has the ability to retain moisture content from the atmosphere. Due to this quality of honey, it makes it difficult for microbes, molds, and other substances to grow and fester in it.
Honey, albeit being sweet, is acidic in nature and has a low pH. This acidic condition and medium make it impossible for mold and other bacterial substances to grow in. When brought in contact with water, honey naturally produces hydrogen peroxide which in turn, makes it even more difficult for any sort of bacteria to grow in.
What is mold?
Mold is a fungus that grows in a thin filament-like form. The multicellular filaments are called hyphae. Molds are microbes and are considered to be from divisions named Zygomycota and Ascomycota.
Molds are mainly responsible for the biodegradation and spoiling of many biological substances, which proves to be a nuance in terms of food substances and beverages. Molds, however, also have some beneficial properties when it comes to applications in the pharmaceuticals, beverage, and pigment manufacturing industries.
Reasons for the non-perishable nature of honey
There are a few factors that contribute to the long-lasting shelf life of honey. Some of them are given below
· Honey contains 20% water content and is mostly composed of sugar which amounts to almost 80%. This quality makes it impossible for any microbes to grow and retains the moisture from the atmosphere preventing any mold from growing. Retaining moisture from the air causes the reproduction process to halt and thus prevents any microbe production.
· Honey has a pH of 3.9 at an average, while it ranges from 3.4-6.1 in various types. These acidic conditions make it impossible for such impurities to grow and cause mold or contamination.
· Bees release a special enzyme called glucose oxidase during honey production to prevent the contaminations to grow into the honey and keep it pure. This glucose oxidase is later converted into hydrogen peroxidase
When can honey go bad?
Even though honey has anti-microbial characteristics it can still go bad due to some circumstances. A few of them include;
· Honey can rarely go bad but due to some strain of bacteria, it can grow secondary and indirect contamination. This can be because of dust, insects, and several and other residual materials.
· Some strain of honey is also known to contain a toxic substance, even though this also occurs rarely it also causes a severe decline in the quality of honey.
The toxic substance, in reality, is a toxin found in some plants. Those grayanotoxins lead to toxicity in honey and can also lead to nausea, headache, vomiting, and in extreme cases, ailments due to dehydration
· Some people use cheap means to promote their business, in this case, honey is adulterated by artificial sweeteners, and its natural cycle is sped off by some this process is not properly fermented, and that results in poor taste and a decline in quality.
· If sealed incorrectly, honey can also risk a massive decrease in its quality. When stored in a humid place or not packaged properly the water content of honey may rise from the given threshold level allowing it to get contaminated and render the process of fermentation useless.
Proper techniques of storing honey
To want a product to last long, we need to find proper ways to make sure that it is stored correctly and in the most efficient of ways as well. One major factor to consider while storing honey is to take into account the humidity level. Following are a few techniques and tips which ensure the honey is stored properly;
· Store honey in a dry and colder area in terms of the environment. Keeping honey in the refrigerator is okay too but generally, room temperature is ideal.
· Honey in the refrigerator can crystallize quickly and in turn lose most of its density as well as color. If such a situation occurs, make sure it is gently heated and mixed with a firm yet soft hand to return it to its previous state.
· Keep honey in a firmly shut airtight packaging.
Other FAQs about Honey that you may be interested in.
Can you eat crystallized honey?
What is the best way to eat honey?
Conclusion
In this short article, we have answered the question, “can honey mold?”, while providing an in-depth analysis of what mold is, reasons for the long-lasting nature of honey, how it may go bad, and the proper way of storing honey.
