Is it possible to freeze honey for storage and why is it done?

Just a year ago, no one would have thought of storing honey in the freezer. The question of whether it is possible to freeze honey began to be asked after the emergence of another popular trend on TikTok. One TikToker recorded a video in which he eagerly ate a frozen treat that looked like an amber jelly. The experiment is very simple, anyone can repeat it. Nothing bad will happen to the product, in the sense that it will not become hazardous to health. But to store large volumes of honey, you should not use a freezer.

What happens if you freeze honey

It is known that different foods behave differently when frozen. Ordinary water turns into ice, but salt and sea water do not freeze at the same temperature. Fruit juices and dairy products become hard but are not as strong as ice.

If you freeze honey, its consistency will change. When frozen, the product will become viscous, jelly-like.

The thicker it is, the longer it takes to freeze. In this case, complete hardening will not occur. This is because some foods have a much lower freezing point than a regular freezer.

Freezing point of honey

In a household refrigerator, honey does not freeze to a solid state. The freezer in it is not powerful enough. The freezing temperature of the product is -36 degrees, and in a standard freezer the temperature is -12-22 degrees.

Frozen honey, like on TikTok

Frozen honey videos on TikTok have received hundreds of millions of views. For the first time, the idea to freeze the product came to the mind of tiktoker Davey (blog Davey RZ). He simply poured it into a small plastic bottle, kept it in the freezer for a while and recorded a short video. It shows Davey squeezing an amber substance out of a bottle, similar to viscous jelly, and taking a large bite with gusto.

The recipe is simple: you need to take liquid honey, pour it into a 0.25-0.33 liter plastic bottle, and leave it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, the cooling dessert will be ready to eat.

Thousands of TikTokers from all over the world followed Dave's example. In the video they shared their impressions:

• “It looks great. It’s also delicious.”
• “It tastes like regular cold honey. It's too sweet".
• “I didn’t think I’d like it. But now I understand why these videos are so popular. An unusual dessert for those with a sweet tooth.”
• “My daughter calls it honey ice cream. I don't share her enthusiasm. I'm calm. Another trend that everyone will soon forget about.”
• “Obviously you can eat this on a very hot day. Helps you cool down and invigorate.”

From the comments it is clear that the best consistency can be achieved by freezing the product for 5 hours. Fans of unusual foods can add food coloring to the bottle. You can experiment with additives like small colored candies. But according to most, the most delicious dessert is made from natural honey without anything else.

The important point is the bottle. The plastic should be soft enough to squeeze out the tough substance.

Video:

How to properly store honey

Beekeeping products have a long shelf life and do not require special conditions.

Honey is stored in a glass jar under a nylon lid in a pantry or cellar.

Recommended conditions, according to GOST:

What else you need to know about storing the product:

1. Honey absorbs foreign odors. You cannot store it next to fish, garlic, onions, prepared foods, or spices. It is better to choose a shelf with canned goods or a cabinet with cereals.
2. Contact with metal should be limited. It oxidizes and spoils the taste of honey, and zinc and copper make the product toxic.
3. Sunlight causes the breakdown of nutrients. Darkness is an important condition for storing bee products.
4. The storage container should be washed well with baking soda. Contaminants inside the jar can trigger a fermentation reaction.
5. The temperature in the room where honey is stored must be stable. With sharp fluctuations, condensation is likely to appear inside the jar and rapid spoilage of the product.

Advice. When purchasing a large amount of honey, it is recommended to pour it into glass jars with a volume of 0.5-1 liters. Every opening brings in harmful bacteria. In small containers the product is stored longer.

Freezing as a way to slow down crystallization

It is known that natural honey becomes sugared or, in other words, crystallized over time.

It is worth clarifying that crystallization is a natural process. Only in hives in sealed honeycombs at a temperature of +20+30 degrees does honey always remain liquid.

After collection, chemical changes occur in it. Glucose molecules gather around impurities (pollen, etc.), gradually increase in size, and settle.

Different types of honey are candied at different rates:

• from white, yellow acacia, chestnut, fireweed flowers, honeydew - from 6 months or more;
• linden, melilot, angelica, and nymph – 3-6 months;
• buckwheat, rapeseed, sunflower, coriander, meadow – 4-5 weeks;

Storage temperature also affects the rate of crystallization. The process proceeds fastest at +15 degrees. At +20 degrees and above, as well as at +8 degrees and below, sugaring slows down, but at the same time the destruction of useful substances accelerates.

What else reduces the rate of crystallization:

• regular stirring;
• a large percentage of water in the composition - over 17%;
• immaturity;
• adding sugar syrup;
• low pollen content.

Questions and answers

At what temperature does the product lose its nutrients?

Beneficial substances are quickly destroyed when heated to +45 degrees and above. Destruction processes are inevitable, but if storage conditions are met, they proceed slowly.

How long does honey last?

Honey is stored longest in sealed glass containers – up to 2 years. In a plastic container, the shelf life is reduced to 1 year. In an open jar, as well as with the addition of other ingredients, the product can be stored for 8 months. It’s difficult to say how long honey can be stored in the freezer. Storage method is not recommended and therefore not tested.

Let's summarize. You can freeze honey if you want to try a new unusual honey dessert. With short-term freezing, the product will remain just as healthy and tasty. For long-term storage, it is better to choose a more suitable place - dry, cool and dark. Still, honey is a very expensive delicacy, and it would be a shame if it spoiled ahead of schedule.