Honey Crystallization

Honey Crystallization

100% pure honey has a natural tendency to crystallize over time.  Honey crystallization often referred to as granulation is a natural phenomenon by which honey turns from a liquid to a semi-solid state. Crystallized honey preserves its nutritional properties, flavor and quality. The only effect is that color and texture might change.  

YES, crystallization is a good thing!  It indicates the honey is pure and has been handled with care (no filtering or high heat) during the extraction process to maintain all of its beneficial properties including pollen content.

How to reverse crystallized honey:

To reverse crystallization in AJK 100% Raw Yucatan Honey, heat a pot of water between 95 and 110°F, place the jar (lid off) in the warm water bath. Make sure the waterline is above the level of the honey but below the lid. The amount of time the honey needs in the warm water depends on many other conditions such as room temperature or how much crystallization has occurred, but it can be placed in warm water as many times or as long as needed to bring back to liquid form.

Don’t boil the honey and don’t put it in the microwave.

The science behind honey crystallization:

Honey is a highly concentrated sugar solution. It contains more than 70% sugars and less than 20% water. This means that the water in honey contains more sugar than it should naturally hold. The overabundance of sugar makes honey unstable. Thus, it is natural for honey to crystallize since it is an over-saturated sugar solution. 

The two principal sugars in honey are fructose and glucose. The content of fructose and glucose in honey varies from one type of honey to the other. Generally, the fructose ranges from 30- 44% and glucose from 25- 40%. The balance of these two major sugars causes the crystallization of honey, and the relative percentage of each determines whether it crystallizes rapidly or slowly. What crystallizes is the glucose, due to its lower solubility. Fructose is more soluble in water than glucose and will remain fluid.

When glucose crystallizes, it separates from water and takes the form of tiny crystals. As the crystallization progresses and more glucose crystallizes, those crystals spread throughout the honey. The solution changes to a stable saturated form, and ultimately the honey becomes thick or crystallized.