It is a heating process for honey at high temperatures for a certain period of time and then rapidly cooling it down. It includes quickly raising the temperature to reach 72 degrees Celsius, and maintaining this temperature for about 120 seconds, and then rapidly cooling the honey till it reaches 35 degrees Celsius. Some factories even pasteurize honey at higher temperatures, exceeding 78 degrees Celsius, with a shorter time period to accelerate the production time and ensure that honey remains safe from crystallization for as long as possible.
It is crucial to note that pasteurization in food products, in general, is related to food safety and extending the shelf life of the food product. However, this does not apply to honey. Pasteurization of honey serves purely commercial purposes, aiming to maintain its liquid state on store shelves and sales outlets for as long as possible because some consumers still view crystallized honey as suspicious!
Such process can lead to the loss of honey’s therapeutic value and, unfortunately, a significant devaluation of its nutritional factors. Sadly, most of the labels on these products still mention (100% natural bee honey).