Sugar for my Honey: Why Honey Doesn’t Spoil

Honey has been found in Egyptian tomb excavations by modern archaeologist. But the highlight of the discovery was as news-worthy and precious as the earthen pots and mummies uncovered in the tomb: the honey contained by thousands and thousands of years in the pots were still good to eat. As it proves, honey will last you, even if you have crossed over to the afterlife–if you ever believe in it—or shuffled off the mortal coil.

So what is it about honey that makes it infinitely awesome? According to Smithsonianmag.com, this is due to a number of interesting and highly technical factors:

First, it has something to do with its composition. Honey is essentially a sugar, which makes it hygroscopic. In layman’s terms, this means honey doesn’t contain a lot of water. Because it has low moisture, no bacteria or microorganism would thrive in honey. Honey is also extremely acidic with a pH level anywhere between 3 and 4.5. These levels are lethal for bacteria.

The second thing has something to do with how bees create honey. Bees’ stomachs have an enzyme called glucose oxidase. When regurgitating nectar to produce honey then depositing them to the honeycombs, the enzyme creates hydrogen peroxide (a proven antiseptic) and gluconic acid.

This hydrogen peroxide is released by honey when it is applied on a wound. As honey sucks in moisture from its environment when exposed to the elements, it performs the same mechanism on the wound—sucking moisture from it and releasing hydrogen peroxide in the process. Pretty neat, eh? It is for this property that known pharmaceutical companies have recommended the topical use of honey for wounds, as well as the global manufacture and distribution of honey-coated bandages and gauzes.

What makes a huge difference, however, on honey’s shelf life is how it has been sealed. While it may last for a very, very long time, as the Egyptian tomb honey deposits have proven, honey can still spoil if it picks up a lot of moisture in the long run. So, if you want to store honey for years, keep its lid on. Otherwise, it will spoil.

For foundational knowledge about food safety and to mitigate the risk get a food handlers license. The training that leads up to your food handler license will teach you not just how to preserve honey, but foods that you typically serve in the restaurant or at home.