How much do you know about honey?

A natural progression in the life cycle of honey is known as saccharification, which occurs when honey crystallises due to its sugar content. The correct term for this process is “crystallization”, which occurs in all types of honey except those made from fir and pine. Honey is a concentrated sugar solution that can crystallize depending on factors such as glucose content, water content, the presence of pollen or wax and storage temperature. The type of pollen in honey can also indicate how quickly crystallisation can occur, with thyme honey taking 12 months to crystallise, while honey from cotton, heather or sunflower can crystallise in just a few days.

– How many different types of honey are there?

• There are two main categories of honey in Greece, depending on the location where it was collected: anthomelo or nectar and honeydew honey.
• These honeys are divided into eight subcategories:
• Pekomelo, also known as honeycomb.
• Honey from spruce sap (honeydew).
• Chestnut honey (honeydew-flower honey).
• Thyme honey (flower honey).
• Honey of orange blossoms (flowers).
• Cotton (flower) honey.
• Heather honey (flower honey).
• Honey from sunflower nectar (flower nectar)
  
  Separation into the above categories is carried out after chemical analysis showing the highest percentage of honey in a particular type of pollen. In Greece, each type of honey must have a minimum percentage of pollen grains in order to be classified and given a specific name. For example, to qualify as thyme honey, it must contain more than 18% thyme pollen.
  
  – What are referred to as monoculture honeys?
  
  As the word suggests, the honeys come from a single variety. This offers the advantage of obtaining all the beneficial properties of the specific plant from which the bees have collected it. Although it is a difficult feat, it is not impossible. This result depends on the flowering cycle in the bee collection area and the beekeeper’s previous efforts, which include ensuring that there is no excess honey left in the hive.

If the temperature of honey exceeds 35-40 degrees Celsius, its beneficial properties are lost. Therefore, when added to a hot drink, all we do is enhance its sweetness.

This decision is critical when searching for quality honey, as it is one of the most important choices you have to make. The standard specifies the origin and characteristics of the honey and provides a minimum quality assurance, although it does not include everything. Due to the large number of producers and their limited production, standardised honey may not always be available, but this does not cause problems in the absence of a recognised label. Within the group of small-scale producers, valuable finds are often discovered. However, it is necessary to be careful when making a purchase and try to confirm their reliability, such as by conducting a taste test before buying.