The phenomenon of honey crystallization is a natural occurrence that commonly happens in most types of natural honey. This phenomenon varies from one type to another. Honey derived from flower nectar tends to crystallize more quickly than honeydew such as oak honey. Most honey consumers are unaware of this fact and mistakenly believe that crystallized honey has been adulterated. This is a general misconception because some of the finest types of honey can naturally crystallize!
Freshly harvested honey is usually in a liquid state. However, under a microscope, glucose crystals can be observed, which attract other honey components around them. Therefore, crystallization in honey primarily occurs in glucose crystals. Commercial honey factories intentionally pasteurize honey by exposing it to high temperatures above 78 degrees Celsius to completely destroy the crystals.
There are several reasons for natural honey crystallization. Here are some of them:
– Raw, unprocessed honey that has not been pasteurized or filtered contains impurities such as beeswax, pollen grains, royal jelly, etc. These impurities act as nuclei for crystal formation.
– The presence of impurities in the container used for storing honey, such as dust particles.
– The presence of air bubbles in the honey.
– Honey extracted from old combs tends to have pre-existing crystals compared to honey extracted from newer combs.
– Honey naturally contains glucose and fructose. The crystallization of honey is influenced by the ratio of glucose to fructose. When the ratio approaches 1:1, the likelihood of crystallization is low or even nonexistent. This ratio is typically found in honeydew produced by honeybees from the sweet secretions of certain insects, such as oak honey. Hence, these types of honey have slow crystallization, whereas it is not usually the case for nectar honey. On the contrary, as the ratio of glucose to fructose increases, the likelihood of crystallization becomes higher, especially at a ratio of 2.5:1, which is considered the critical point for honey crystallization.
– Temperature plays a role in honey crystallization. Crystallization slows down above 25 degrees Celsius, while it accelerates at lower temperatures, especially between 13 and 14 degrees Celsius.
– Moisture content affects the tendency of honey to crystallize. Honey with lower moisture content (higher density, heavier consistency) is more prone to crystallization than honey with moisture content close to 18%.
– Using containers that do not isolate honey from the external factors.
– Exposing honey to cold surfaces or direct cold conditioning accelerates the crystallization process.
– Even nectar honey exhibits different rates of crystallization depending on the floral source that bees have foraged on. For example, honey harvested from certain flowers, such as citrus flowers, crystallizes faster than honey from other flower sources.