Properties of natural honey

Natural honey possesses numerous biological, chemical, and physical characteristics, which can be summarised as follows:

Initially, The Attributes of Honey

Natural Honey source is bees. Honey is derived from the nectar of various flowers, which bees then process by turning sucrose sugar into simple sugars such as fructose and glucose. The enzymes accomplish this, and the bees evaporate a substantial amount of the liquid to prevent fermentation.

Second, Honey's Moisture Content.

The honey's specific gravity depends on its comb's moisture content, and its moisture content depends on its plant source, temperature, date, and sorting technique. To lower the moisture content of honey, bees sort it in frames before its maturity. Additionally, the blossoms of certain plants, such as citrus, have a high humidity level, and honey's moisture content is evaluated using a honey hydrometer or (Efractometer).

Third, Honey's Natural and Chemical Properties.

Due to a variety of factors, the chemical makeup of honey sugars differs from one source to another. Different soil types, environmental conditions, plant types, sorting date and method, and the honey ripening process, for instance, can cause variations in honey's colour, flavour, and aroma, even if the bees are in the exact location. Likewise, the ability of honey to crystallise varies from one honey to the next for the same reasons.

Fourth, The Colours of Honey.

Honey comes in various hues, from watery white to vivid amber and incredibly light to dark. These dyes are created from components like chlorophyll, carotene, xanthophyll, and unknown pigments. The amount of mineral salts is one of the most crucial factors in determining the colour of honey; as the amount of mineral salts increases, the honey becomes darker. Similarly, the air temperature causes the colour to fluctuate. If honey is heated, its colour will darken, and storing it at an improper temperature will alter its hue.

Fifth: Honey's Flavour, Aroma, and Characteristics.

Due to the various types of nectar sources, the aroma and flavour vary. Citrus fruits have a lovely aroma and a distinct flavour, and fresh honey has a more potent aroma than old honey. Aroma and flavour are formed by volatile oils, acids, and alcohols in plant flowers. Regarding its sweetness, honey has the benefit of being 25% sweeter than cane sugar.

Honey contains organic acids such as citric, acetic, butyric, and formic, but they do not need to be present. Honey contains acid-producing enzymes and aldolase, amylase, phosphatase, and other enzymes. And the source of plant-derived enzymes and bee stomach glandular secretions. After the honey is retrieved from its source, enzymes complete the necessary chemical reactions to make it usable.

Honey contains colloids that can be observed with the naked eye. If they are not properly discarded, the honey becomes hazy and includes amorphous resinous substances. Eliminating these colloids allows the bees to maintain their colour even in high-temperature environments.

Honey includes various vitamins depending on the plant source, and bees often obtain these vitamins through pollen. Proteins, water-soluble compounds derived from nectar, pollen, and royal jelly, are also present in honey. Additionally, honey includes minerals; the more profound the honey's colour, the more minerals it contains.

Sixth: Honey Crystallisation

Honey crystallisation is one of honey's natural properties and markers of honey's quality. Depending on the age of the honey and the type of nectar, the rate and speed of crystallisation differ between types. Additionally, its velocity is determined by the ratio of glucose to fructose, colloids, and moisture. Moreover, glucose is the only sugar that crystallises, which explains why honey has both a liquid and crystalline layer. The distinction between small and large crystals results from the crystallisation rate, and crystals are smaller during rapid crystallisation than during slow crystallisation.