Shelf Life of Honey

Honey is one of those miracle foods that has been used by humans since time immemorial. Apart from its culinary and religious uses, it is also much valued for its therapeutic properties. Even today, honey is commonly used by people across the globe. Today, it is available in many different types and you may find it in almost every household. Perhaps, you have a bottle of honey in your house too. But, how long can you store honey, without getting spoiled? Let us find out.

What is the Shelf Life of Honey

As in any other packed food products, honey bottles too come with a shelf life. It has been observed that in case of honey, the shelf life provided is usually, two years. But, what happens, if you do not use it during this period? You don't have to throw it away, if it is properly sealed and stored. In fact, honey has a very long shelf life and does not get spoiled, as bacteria and other microbes cannot thrive in it. This is due to its unique chemical composition, which has a very low water content and a low pH of 3 to 4.5. This can be substantiated with the fact that the honey stored in the Egyptian tombs (before two centuries) were found to be edible, when discovered recently. However, its quality may change, if not stored properly. It may crystallize and may also lose its flavor and aroma with time. Honey in sealed containers have a long shelf life, if stored in proper conditions. The shelf life of raw honey is said to be indefinite.

How to Store Honey

So the shelf life of honey can be really long, if properly processed, packaged and stored. Therefore, it must be stored in glass or ceramic containers with tight lids that do not allow moisture to get inside. Long-term exposure to moisture may lead to fermentation of honey, thereby degrading its quality. Another important factor in honey storage is temperature. It is said the optimum temperature range for processed honey is 18 to 24° C and in case of unprocessed type, it is 10° C. While temperature variations may not affect the shelf life, heat exposure must be avoided. However, after some time, honey tends to crystallize and change to a darker color. These crystals can be dissolved by keeping the honey bottle in warm water. So, even though, honey has a long shelf life, it may sometimes get degraded, due to improper storage.

To summarize, shelf life of honey is indefinite. But, it has to be stored properly, so as to avoid degradation. You have to store it in glass or ceramic containers (even stainless steel containers are said to be good) and keep them in room temperature. Store these bottles away from direct sunlight and heat to enjoy the goodness of honey. Ensure that you close the lid tightly, every time, you use it. The shelf life, as given by the manufacturers are only for namesake and honey can be used even after the expiry of such time frames, provided, you store it properly.