For a long time, honey has been known to people not only as a tasty, but also a very healthy product, containing a number of vitamins and minerals, so necessary for our body. It is successfully used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology, as well as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent. Often using honey, you can notice the formation of white foam on its surface in a jar. We will understand what becomes the cause of its appearance, and how to avoid this.

White foam on honey: what is it

Acquiring honey, many after some time notice changes in its structure and ask the question: what does white coating inside the can mean. The formation of white foam on the surface can have a different nature and many reasons. For example, this can be a confirmation of the naturalness of the purchased product, and therefore does not pose any threat to human health.

Moreover, pork, which comes to the surface and forms a foam, is a valuable product for the human body - a complex of vitamins and antioxidants improves immunity, normalizes the activity of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, increases potency and restores strength. Such a product is almost impossible to find on the market, and therefore this foam, after removal from the surface of honey, is better to eat.

Did you know? Several thousand bees are able to produce about 35 kg of nectar per year.

White foam may also be a consequence of the fermentation process, which makes nectar unsuitable for use, especially for people suffering from gastrointestinal tract diseases - this can lead to an exacerbation of the disease, bloating and abdominal cramps. Before deciding to eat this product further or No, you need to understand the main factors that influenced the appearance of the foam.

The main causes of foaming honey

There are several main reasons for the formation of foam on the surface of honey and not all of them are associated with spoilage of the product:

1. Foam can be formed due to the increased content of pollen, bee bread or any other products of the bees ’activity - in case of a high concentration of pollen, the nectar will be divided into two components, which will cause the formation of a small foam on the surface. This stage is called self-cleaning and does not pose a threat to human health.
2. When honey is distilled and transfused into containers, air is often absorbed, which eventually begins to surface (2-3 weeks) and looks like a white foam.
3. Unripened honey - the rush with pumping out becomes the reason. Such a product is visually almost impossible to distinguish from matured, but its moisture level significantly exceeds the norm, which leads to the formation of fermentation processes.
4. Diluted honey - a product diluted with sugar syrup, it is quite problematic to distinguish it from natural honey. Having a characteristic smell and taste, the consistency may change over time, forming a white foam on the surface.
5. Fermentation - begins with the appearance of bubbles and small inclusions in the bank, which eventually take the form of a “soap” layer. Eating a spoiled product is strongly discouraged.

What to do if white foam appears on honey

Depending on the main reasons that caused the formation of foam, there are several solutions:

• if the bee bread became the cause of the white foam, then it is recommended to carefully remove it from the surface and eat it;
• in case of air ingress, the foam is carefully removed from the surface with a clean spoon and should not reappear;
• immature nectar is placed in a container with a sealed lid and left for 1 month at a temperature of +15 ... + 20 ° С - such conditions will help the product ripen;
• if there are impurities in the composition, nothing can be done - it is recommended to use this product in cooking, store in the refrigerator and in the future carefully choose nectar when buying;
• fermentation processes can be stopped by first removing the foam together with a small top layer and placing nectar in a water bath (temperature - + 60 ° С, languishing time - about 50-60 minutes).

Important! After heat treatment, honey is not recommended for consumption. It is used in baking, cosmetology and in the manufacture of mead.

How to avoid the appearance of foam

You can prevent foaming of the product by following the basic rules for its storage:

1. Capacity - need clean and dry, made of glass, ceramic or wood.
2. Temperature - The optimum temperature regime varies between +6 ... + 10 ° С. In this case, it is necessary to avoid temperature differences, which can lead to uneven crystallization of honey.
3. Humidity level - Must be in the range of 60–80%. Humidity above 80% will cause souring of nectar.
4. Room - It must be clean, dry, darkened and free from odors that the product absorbs very quickly. An important factor is the lack of sunlight, under the influence of which nectar loses all its beneficial properties (kitchen cabinets, located far from heat sources, equipped balconies or loggias, refrigerator).

Tips from experienced beekeepers

When choosing a quality product, you need to know its main features, which can protect you from acquiring a fake:

• due to its viscous consistency, nectar drains very slowly from a spoon (it can be easily wrapped several times around), forming a small hill;
• the nectar flavor should be pleasant and not harsh.

It is also recommended that you have in stock several verification methods that can easily distinguish a natural product from a fake one:

• a drop of nectar on paper does not leave a wet mark, and when burned, it does not melt and does not change color;
• if nectar is diluted in water, the flour is mixed with it, and then iodine is added to it, the solution will turn blue immediately;
• if you place a piece of bread in a natural product, it will harden, and in a fake product, it will soften;
• when vinegar is added to an aqueous solution of honey, chalk added to thicken will cause a reaction (hiss);
• a few drops of ammonia added in an aqueous solution of honey will indicate the presence of molasses - if the solution turns white and a brown precipitate forms at the bottom, then molasses is present;
• mechanical impurities can be easily detected by dissolving nectar in distilled or boiled water - the natural product will dissolve completely, and the solution will remain transparent.

Did you know? The human blood contains 24 macro- and microelements, 22 of which are in honey. Thus, in its chemical composition, sweet nectar is almost identical to human serum.

Summarizing, it is worth noting that the right choice of high-quality natural honey, as well as following the basic rules for storing the product, will protect nectar from spoilage, fermentation and the formation of white foam on the surface, and will also make it possible to eat this valuable and tasty product for a long time.