Honey Crystallization

What to do if your honey has crystallized

We recently had a customer that told us they threw out their honey because it had crystallized.  "Did it go bad?" they asked.   The answer is a resounding "No".  Honey does not go bad when it crystallizes it just changes from a liquid to a solid.  The customer only needed to gently reheat the honey in a double boiler at a temperature of 90 F and it would return to its liquid state.   Let's cover crystallization and why it occurs:

Why does honey crystallize?  

Honey is extracted in a liquid form and SeaBee Honey is no exception.  Our honey is extracted in our specialty-built honey house where it is spun from the honeycomb and then gently heated before it is bottled and packaged.  Honey has two main sugars that drive the crystallization process: glucose and fructose.   When glucose molecules separate from the water in the honey, they begin to form a crystal.  That crystal will be the initial seed for other crystals to build upon. If honey has a higher portion of glucose compared to fructose, it will crystallize faster.  For example, dandelion honey has high glucose to fructose ratio and will crystallize very quickly.  Other factors such as temperature and pollen content also help expedite the crystallization process.  The cooler the temperature the quicker the crystallization will occur.  If the seed crystal is larger the resulting crystallization will be larger and have the consistency of rock candy.   Finer seed crystals will result in a smoother consistency that has a butter-like texture.  We call this honey whipped or creamed honey.  We do make some crystallized honey in the Fall season, and it is very popular with many of our customers.  

If your honey sits in your cupboard for a few years, it will crystallize or partially crystallize.  Again, this honey is unlikely to have gone bad.  There isn't enough water in the honey to have it spoil but there may be cases where you have honey that has fermented.  This is also very rare but can occur if a wild yeast found in honey has started the fermentation process.  This can occur if the storage area is over 80F, and you will know it has fermented by smell and taste.  To prevent any potential fermentation, it is recommended to store your jar in a cool, dry location out of direct sunlight.  It does not need to be refrigerated. 

If your honey has crystallized thoroughly, give it a try and if it has a smooth spreadable consistency, keep it as a spread and enjoy your own whipped honey.  It will last indefinitely. ​