You may have an abundance of honey and are wondering what measures you need to take to preserve it. You might be considering freezing your honey since freezing is how you make most food last longer.
But can you freeze honey or will that destroy its nutrients?
Freezing honey will not affect the nutrients or quality of the honey. In fact, honey can be stored indefinitely in a cool area, such as the pantry, since raw unprocessed honey does not have an expiration date. Honey only needs to be placed into an airtight container to be preserved at a cool temperature.
There are three types of honey: liquid honey, creamed honey, and honeycombs.
If you are thinking about freezing any of these honey types then this guide will walk you through things you should consider before freezing your honey.
Does Honey Freeze?
Pure honey does not freeze because it is low in water content. The freezing point is -4°F or -20°C, while most freezers are set to 0°F or -18°C.
Honey will not get completely solid in the freezer. It will still flow slightly or very slowly. That being said, honey and honeycombs can be stored in the freezer safely.
Should You Store Honey In The Freezer?
It’s important to first note that honey has an infinite shelf life so there is no expiration date.
You might see a best before date on packaged honeys, but real, natural honey does not spoil when stored in a cool environment in a sealed jar.
Honey is naturally high in acid and low in water content which makes it inhospitable to bacteria. While honey can crystallize and granulate over time, this does not indicate immediate spoilage.
Honey might change over time as the natural sugars separate from the water in the honey but it’s still safe to eat.
You can store honey and honeycombs in the freezer. Freezing honey does not destroy its nutrients; it actually preserves the nutrients.
Hot temperatures are problematic for honey. If you live in a warm climate, storing honey in the freezer might be a great choice for you to preserve its nutrients!
How To Freeze Honey
Liquid or creamed honey can be safely frozen in a glass jar. Follow these steps for freezing honey in a glass container:
- Pour honey into a jar or pour out some honey so that there’s 1 inch of room at the top
- Seal the jar shut with an airtight lid
- Place the jar in a re-sealable plastic bag to prevent any freezer odors from affecting the honey
- This also helps prevent any honey messes if the glass jar gets damaged or breaks
- Place jar into freezer
These same steps can be applied to honeycomb. The goal of freezing honey is to make sure that it’s kept away from air and other odors from affecting its flavor.
How Long Can Honey Be Stored In The Freezer?
Honey stored in the freezer lasts forever! It also keeps at room temperature indefinitely.
Honey is one of the rare food items that does not spoil or expire when stored correctly. Honey should be stored in an airtight, sealed glass container. Keep it in a cool place away from humidity.
How To Thaw Frozen Honey
Frozen honey can be thawed at room temperature.
Depending on the size of the honey jar, it may take several hours to thaw completely. So it’s easiest to thaw honey overnight before needing to use it the next day.
Honey should not be thawed out in the refrigerator as this will increase the chances of it crystallizing.
Alternatively, you can thaw frozen honey by placing the jar or container into a pot of hot water. Stir as the honey warms up. Make sure the temperature of the honey never exceeds 110°F.
Another method for thawing honey is to microwave it in intervals of 20 seconds at a time. Make sure that the honey does not get too hot so stir in between each microwave interval.
Honey can be safely refrozen and thawed as many times as needed.
Why Does Honey Crystallize?
Raw honey is the most prone to crystallization. Honey crystallizes when the natural sugars separate from the small amount of water content in the honey.
Crystallized honey is still edible and has not spoiled. The honey can be liquified by following any of the thawing methods mentioned above to get rid of the crystallization.
However, honey should not sit in a crystallized state for long periods of time because it can lead to spoilage.
How To Tell If Honey Has Spoiled
Honey that has been stored improperly, contaminated, or crystallized for a long period of time may spoil.
Improper storage of honey can cause its water content to increase and bacteria to grow. If you keep your honey out in a warm climate or directly exposed to sunlight, the risk of spoilage is high. The honey will turn cloudy and have a yellow color if spoiled.
Honey can get contaminated naturally. Natural microbes like bacteria, mold, and yeast can makes its way into honey via air, dust, and flowers. This is why it’s important to keep your honey sealed.
Human error can also cause contamination in honey as a result of equipment used during its processing. Similarly, the honey will pale in color and develop a cloudy appearance.
Crystallization for a long period at room temperature or warmer temperatures can cause water to release, thus resulting in fermentation. The color of the honey becomes paler and opaquer. If your honey starts to crystallize, warm it up at little and stir to re-liquify.
Overall, honey does not spoil easily.
The world’s oldest honey has been found in ancient Egypt; it is said to be thousands of years old and still safe to eat!
Honey is one of the rare foods with an eternal shelf life.
What Are The Nutrients In Honey?
There are many natural vitamins and minerals in honey, including B6, amino acids, calcium, copper, iron, and zinc. There are also thousands of different kinds of enzymes in honey, including diastase, invertase, and glucose oxidase.
None of these nutrients or enzymes are destroyed if honey or honeycombs are stored in the freezer!
However, hot temperatures above 110°F can damage or destroy the nutrients.
Final Thoughts
If you have run out of space in your pantry then the freezer is a great option for you to store any excess honey you have.
Freezing honey will not destroy any of its nutrients. It will keep in the freezer indefinitely.
However, if you have a cool, dry space in your pantry then that’s probably the best place to keep your honey.
