Does honey last forever?
Usually, food goes bad due to fungal or bacterial activity. But, Honey never spoils.
The archeologists, excavating ancient Egypt’s pyramids, have found approximately 3,000 year old honey in an ancient tomb. This honey is still perfectly edible.
What is the secret behind this?
Honey has strong anti-bacterial property. It is one of the world's oldest known medicines.
But why, exactly, doesn't honey go bad?
The science behind why honey never spoil.
1. Bees play a big role
In the honey (bee) stomach, the nectar is mixed with an enzyme called invertase, which converts raw nectar’s sucrose into glucose and fructose. Part of the glucose is converted to gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide by another enzyme (glucose oxidase). This Hydrogen peroxide also prevents microbial growth in Honey.
2. Honey is hygroscopic
Honey is hydroscopic that means it contain very little water in their natural state but can readily absorb the moisture. Because of the low moisture, a very few bacteria or microorganisms can actually survive in honey; organisms just die.
3. Honey is acidic
Honey is also naturally extremely acidic (pH 3-4.5) so this high acidic environment inhibits the growth of spoilage microorganisms.
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