JAKARTA, The Shiro Copr Refrigerators are often used as storage for various food ingredients due to their ability to maintain freshness and extend the shelf life of food.
However, not all foods can be stored or are safe in the refrigerator, one of which is honey. Many people mistakenly believe that honey is best stored at cold temperatures like in a refrigerator to make it last longer.
Actually, the truth is, honey should not be stored in the refrigerator. The refrigerator is the worst place to store honey.
Can honey be stored in the refrigerator?
Quoted from Southern Living , Wednesday (18/6/2025), honey should not be stored in the refrigerator or chilled because it can cause crystallization, which is a natural process where glucose in honey forms solid crystals.
This results in a rough texture, thick consistency, and hazy appearance that makes honey difficult to use for most applications.
Actually, honey can crystallize over time and this is normal. This does not mean that the honey has gone bad; it's just that some of the sugar has separated from the water and turned into crystals.
Crystallized honey can be eaten, but if you prefer liquid honey, you can heat it. Put the honey bottle into a pot of water and turn on the stove to low heat for a while.
Make sure the water is not boiling because high temperature will kill the yeast and good enzymes in the honey, and it will affect the taste of the honey. You can also warm the honey in the microwave for a short time.
Many people store honey in the refrigerator to prevent it from being contaminated by bacteria and fungi. In fact, this is not necessary.
Dikutip dari Eating Well Honey consists of about 80 percent sugar and 18 percent water. The small amount of water makes honey inhospitable for bacteria and fungi.
The very thick texture of honey also prevents oxygen from penetrating it easily (bacteria need oxygen to grow).
Finally, the presence of gluconic acid makes honey slightly acidic in pH, providing another barrier to microbial growth according to research.
In general, this makes honey unlikely to spoil. However, incorrect storage or contamination can spoil honey.
If honey appears moldy or smells fermented or "odd," it's time to throw it away.
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If you want to ensure that the flavor of a particular type of honey remains at its peak intensity, consider freezing the honey. freezer .
"This prevents it from losing its flavor and becoming darker or altering its taste, which occurs in honey over time," said Ted Dennard, founder of Savannah Bee Company--a company that makes and sells honey products and promotes beekeeping.
The correct way to store honey
Store honey at room temperature in a cool, dry place such as a kitchen or cupboard, away from direct sunlight and heat sources that can affect its taste and consistency.
Glass or food-safe plastic containers are best, and avoid rapid cooling, which can cause crystallization.
Always store honey in an airtight glass container because it has a tight seal. This is key to minimizing honey's exposure to air.
Otherwise, the hygroscopic sugar (water-loving) in honey will absorb moisture from the air, causing unwanted growth of yeast.
Dawn Combs, an ethnobotanist, beekeeper, and author Sweet Remedies Storing honey in plastic containers can cause it to absorb water vapor, gases, and odors.
"This means that when storing honey in plastic, its moisture can be lost or, even worse, increase," Dawn said, as quoted from Martha Stewart .
On the other hand, glass containers have an airtight seal that keeps honey stable at the proper ratio of liquid to sugar rather than fermenting on the shelf.
The way to prevent honey from contamination
Even honey that is stored very carefully can become contaminated and spoiled. This can be caused by the equipment used to extract the honey.
Use clean and dry equipment when dipping it into the honey container.
"If honey smells fermented (like alcohol), foams, or has pinkish slimy discharge, throw it away," suggests Kimberly Baker, PhD, RD, LD, Director of the Food Systems and Safety Team at Clemson Extension.
How long can honey last?
Thanks to the high concentration of sugar, honey becomes one of the most stable natural foods.
"Honey is the only food that never spoils and is always safe to eat," said Frank Mortimer, the main beekeeper at Cornell University in the United States and author. Bee People And The Bugs They Love .
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Honey has an almost unlimited shelf life, lasting for decades or more if stored properly.
Over time, honey can crystallize and its quality may not be as good as when you first bought it, but honey will still be safe to consume.
Expiration date
Even though there is no expiration date, many honey producers put a "best before" date of about two years on their honey labels to encourage consumers to use the product while it is still in the best condition.
Similarly, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends using honey within one year of purchase to ensure its quality.
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