APIARY NOTES

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 62, Issue 2, 15 February 1941, Page 126

APIARY NOTES

Contributed by Officers —— of the ———

Horticulture Division

The Crystallisation of Honey

BECAUSE of the installation of a honey-packing plant capable of dealing with any type of honey (whether coarse or fine grained). during the course of packing into, retail containers, the state of granulation is not taken into consideration when grading honey supplied to the Internal Marketing Division. It is necessary, < however, for bee-keepers who do not supply the central packing organisation to market their honey in a properly granulated form. Every package of poorly-packed, coarse-grained honey is a bad .advertisement for the industry, and does not increase the consumers’ desire to eat more honey. Unlike the products of human manufacture, honey is not a rigidly standardised commodity, but varies greatly according to the floral nectars from which it is derived. There are few types of honey in New Zealand that will granulate in summer time with a smooth grain. Honeys are also of variable composition, depending upon the flowers from which the chief supply of nectar is gathered. In addition to this, the water-content of any given honey varies with the rapidity of the honey flow and atmospheric conditions during the period of collecting and storage by the bees. The variation in sugars and watercontent largely accounts for the variation in granulation between different honeys. Honey has a definite tendency . to segregate into liquid and crystallise layers because of its composition of sugars which vary in weight and volume; especially is this so when granulation is retarded either by warm temperatures or high moisture-content. Chemical Constituents The average chemical constituents of New Zealand honeys, as published by

the Cawthron Institute, are as follows: Water, 17.5 per cent. Dextrose, 36.2 per cent. Levulose, 40.0 per cent. Sucrose, 2.8 per cent. To obtain an even, smooth grain the whole must be thoroughly mixed, and granulation must be rapid to overcome %my partial separation of the above constituents. * Assist Granulation To assist granulation it is necessary to add a starter of smooth-grained honey at the time of mixing, and to secure rapid granulation low temperatures are necessary. In some southern districts and parts of the North Island a dry atmosphere during the honey flow period, coupled with cool nights as the season progresses, provides ideal conditions for quick granulation; consequently it is not necessary for bee-keepers to do more than clarify their honey, add a little starter, carefully mix well, and pack immediately. Other districts, however, are not so fortunate. Warm days and nights with a moisture-laden atmosphere ’ during the gathering, extracting, and storage periods retard granulation and , prevent honey from granulating naturally with a firm, smooth grain. Any class of New Zealand honey, with the exception of manuka, will respond readily to treatment either at the time of extraction from, the combs or months later, when the honey may be granulated in a coarse-grained, uneven condition. Although effective methods to recondition coarse-grained honey have been practised in New Zealand for many years, Dr. Dyce, of Canada, determined by his experiments the temperatures to which honey can be safely raised, and also the temperature at which granulation is most rapid.

The Dyce Method The following is a brief outline of the Dyce method which is used in Canada, but slightly modified here in New Zealand: —■ “Since all honeys are assumed to contain yeasts, it is advisable to heat all honeys. This destroys the yeasts and liquifies any coarse crystals which may be present. The honey should then be cooled as quickly as possible. “At a temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit the starter of smoothgrained honey is added. It is neces- . sary only that the temperature be so lowered that the small crystals will not be liquified. At this temperature the consistency of the honey is such that a thorough mixing of the starter with the liquid honey is easily accomplished. “If the honey is of high consistency, it is desirable to introduce the portion of finely-granulated honey at slightly higher temperatures, while for thin honeys a temperature slightly lower than 75 degrees Fahrenheit is more favourable. “In general, the larger the proportion of starter used the more speedy is further crystal formation. For practical purposes from 5 to 10 per cent, of added starter is best. It is desirable that there be a thorough mixing of the two portions so that the minute crystals may become thoroughly distributed in all portions of the liquid honey. When this is, completed it is desirable to run the honey immediately into the final containers. “The honey is then placed in a cool chamber at between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For light-bodied honeys incline to the lowest temperature. Where correct temperatures and other factors are observed processed honey should reach the solid stage of crystallisation in from two to four days, ■ (Continued on page 128.)

after which the honey may be removed from the cool chamber and placed in ordinary storage.” High Temperatures In countries where honey is sold in liquid form, notably America, it is necessary to heat the honey up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and to seal it while hot. At this high temperature granulation is arrested and all yeasts destroyed.. Where all precautions are taken to prevent contamination and only capped honey is removed from the hives, it is hot desirable to heat New Zealand honey above temperatures necessary to make it thoroughly liquid, as the bulk of our honey is marketed in granulated form. High temperatures darken the honey and destroy its natural brightness, and the flavour may also be seriously impaired. Honey intended for delivery to the Internal Marketing Division in New Zealand should not be processed in any way by the bee-keeper while the present grading and packing arrangements continue. The honey should be packed free from froth, air bubbles, and all impurities.

—T. S. WINTER,

Senior Apiary

Instructor, Wellington.