Can honey ferment: what to do if sour, the reason and how to use

Natural honey is a unique product that can be stored for many years without losing its beneficial properties. At the same time, many people are interested in whether natural honey can ferment. Indeed, bee nectar sometimes changes its structure, acquires an unpleasant aftertaste and smell of mash. There may be several reasons for this process. These include too early collection of honey, the presence of impurities in it, or violation of storage conditions.

Causes of honey fermentation

The fermentation of honey is associated with the influence of a variety of factors. You definitely need to familiarize yourself with them in order to prevent problems in the future.

Early picking and high humidity levels

Natural bee honey often ferments when harvested too early. This is due to the increased moisture content in the substance. When the bees are just beginning to process the nectar, it contains approximately 60% water. This consistency is not conducive to storage for a long time. During fermentation, insects extract a lot of moisture from the nectar, bringing the mass to a thick consistency. It contains no more than 18-20% liquid.

At the same time, it is allowed to use young honey only in processed form, since it contains few useful components. If the product's moisture content is too high, it will most likely turn sour. Therefore, it is permissible to pump out the mass not earlier than the insects seal the frames with propolis at least a third.

Incorrect storage conditions

An important reason for the souring of bee nectar is the use of an insufficiently sealed container for its storage. In this case, bacteria enter the jar, which activate the spoilage process. In addition, nectar absorbs moisture from the environment. This provokes fermentation processes.

Also, honey can turn sour under the influence of such factors:

• exposure to direct sunlight;
• storage indoors with high humidity;
• effect of elevated temperatures;
• storage in metal containers.

If storage conditions are violated, even the highest quality product can ferment. Sour honey should never be eaten.

Structure

Natural nectar after some time acquires a cloudy consistency and crystallizes. This testifies to its high quality. At the same time, the mass does not become less useful. This process is considered quite normal.

If the product is forcibly subjected to a hardening process, its structure often changes after heating.

This happens with honey that has been refrigerated for a long time. The structure of the product also changes after heating. As a result, the mass often ferments and deteriorates.

Impurities

Honey can turn sour due to the fact that an unscrupulous beekeeper deliberately added foreign components to the composition to increase the mass of the product.For this purpose, sugar syrup or water is often used. The resulting composition is boiled several times. As a result, it resembles ordinary honey. At the same time, the shelf life of the product is significantly reduced. In addition, it loses its beneficial properties.

Unfortunately, detecting a fake can be very problematic. Flat white precipitation, black blotches or gray coating at the bottom of the container will help to suspect counterfeit. The shelf life of such a substance does not exceed 2 weeks. At the same time, it will no longer be possible to restore fermented honey.

Can I eat it?

At the very beginning of fermentation, the mass has a pleasant fruity smell. However, he quickly disappears. At the same time, a pronounced yeast flavor comes to replace. The fermentation process can be stopped by heating the substance to +63 degrees for 20 minutes. It is important to consider that during fermentation, the mass foams. In this case, before heating, it is important to get rid of the foam from the surface of the product.

In any case, after heat treatment, the mass loses its usefulness.

Therefore, the use of such a product is not recommended. Sometimes it is allowed to eat processed honey as part of homemade cakes. It is important to take into account the taste of the product. If the nectar has a bitter or sour taste, it should not be eaten. Such a product can cause stomach discomfort, heartburn and heaviness. It also often provokes diarrhea and flatulence.

What to do with fermented honey

If honey has just begun to deteriorate, but has not yet become bitter and has not acquired a pronounced unpleasant odor, the product can be saved. It is important to consider that this will lead to the loss of all useful properties. However, pastries or other dishes can be prepared from the sweet mass.

Before using fermented honey for culinary purposes, it is recommended to do the following:

• When foam appears on the surface, it must be completely removed with a spoon. It is important to capture part of the unspoiled mass. Thanks to these actions, it is possible to stop the subsequent fermentation.
• Put the container in a water bath and heat at a temperature of +60 degrees for 1 hour. Such a long processing will lead to the loss of all the useful properties of the product, but there is no other way to save it.

After thermal exposure, it is possible to obtain a sweet and fragrant mass. From it you can make gingerbread, cakes, drinks. Also, the product can be used as a marinade for meat products. To give the mass a characteristic taste, it can be mixed with high-quality honey from another collection. To saturate the product with a pleasant aroma, use lemon.

Also fermented bee nectar can be used to make mead. Many beekeepers note the exceptional taste of the finished drink.

Honey fermentation is considered a fairly common problem that can be associated with various factors. Most often, the cause is improper storage conditions, too early collection of the product and the associated high humidity, the addition of impurities to the composition. Also, a forced change in the structure of the bee product by freezing or heating can become a provoking factor.

Recommended