It’s Not Just Safe, It’s Better. HONEY is best when eaten in its raw and in natural state.
It’s easy to see why many would shy away from raw, unfiltered honey. The “pure honey” you most often see on grocery store shelves looks beautiful: clear and unblemished. The raw honey you find at farmers markets, natural food stores or local honey stands can be cloudy, with “stuff” floating in it.
It would only be natural to worry about food safety when looking at a jar of unprocessed honey – at least until you knew more about raw honey.
It’s easy to see why many would shy away from raw, unfiltered honey. The “pure honey” you most often see on grocery store shelves looks beautiful: clear and unblemished. The raw honey you find at farmers markets, natural food stores or local honey stands can be cloudy, with “stuff” floating in it.
It would only be natural to worry about food safety when looking at a jar of unprocessed honey – at least until you knew more about raw honey.
Why Raw Honey Crystallizes Faster Than Processed Honey?
Raw honey will crystallize into a semi-solid or solid form faster than store honey. That’s also because of the extra “stuff” in unfiltered honey; when glucose falls out of honey’s supersaturated solution, it looks for something to attach to. The propolis, pollen and beeswax floating around in raw honey make that easy – so crystals are formed quickly and the honey gets hard.
What about organic honey?
In truth, it’s almost impossible for any honey producer to guarantee that their honey is organic, because bees – as you probably know – fly. The beekeeper may have a farm full of organically-raised flowers and plants, but there’s no way to know if his bees strayed across his property line togather nectar from a non-organic plant. There’s nothing wrong with buying organic honey, and its quality is probably better than any honey you’d buy off the shelf. Just don’t be overly impressed by the word “organic” on the label
Crystallization does not affect quality?
Sooner or later honey crystallizes. If this happens, no need to worry. This only means that you can be sure that you bought quality, natural honey. The crystallization of honey is an entirely natural process that does not cause any chemical changes in the honey and does not affect its quality. Crystallized or set honey can be liquefied in a water bath; the temperature, however, must not exceed 40 °C. If honey is overheated, biologically active substances are lost. It can be added tovarious baked or cooked dishes (sauces, vegetables, meats), usually to infuse them with its special aroma.
