How to Differentiate Between Real and Fake Honey

Honey is a widely used food and remedy in daily life, but do you know how to differentiate between real honey and blended honey? Here are some tips to help you choose a high-quality jar of honey.

Currently, there are many types of honey on the market, labeled as premium honey, wild honey, or imported honey. However, not every consumer can tell the difference between real and fake honey, leading to purchasing counterfeit honey. Real honey usually does not dissolve in water, is hard to absorb, has a sweet, pleasant taste without any harshness, and leaves a lingering aftertaste for only a few minutes.

1. How to Identify Real Honey

Drop Honey into Water
One of the simplest and easiest ways is to use clean, cold water. Take a cup of water and drop a few drops of honey into it.

• If the honey forms round drops that do not dissolve and sink to the bottom of the cup, then congratulations, you’ve bought real honey.
• If the honey dissolves quickly into the water, it’s fake honey, often mixed with sugar or other sweeteners.

Drop Honey onto Blotting Paper
Another simple and effective method is to prepare a piece of blotting paper and drop a drop of honey onto it.

• If the drop remains round and either dissolves slowly or not at all, it is real honey.
• If the honey quickly spreads and absorbs into the paper, it is not pure honey.

Honey contains about 17.2% water, and this amount can vary depending on the type of honey and the harvest season. Therefore, the degree of honey dissolving on blotting paper can also help assess its purity and consistency.

Use Fresh Onion to Test Honey
In addition to the methods above, you can use fresh onion to test the purity of honey. Take a small amount of honey and place it in a container, such as a bowl, glass, or dish. Then, dip a fresh green onion into the honey and wait for the results.

• If the green onion softens, wilts, and turns slightly brown, the honey is real.
• If the green onion does not change, the honey you bought is fake.

In fact, honey has a "hot" nature (not to be confused with its cooling property in Traditional Chinese Medicine). So, when dipped into honey, onions will undergo certain changes. The degree of change helps you determine the purity and thickness of the honey.

Use Egg Yolk to Test Honey
For this method, you need one egg. Separate the yolk and place it into a bowl. Add the honey you need to test into the bowl, ensuring the yolk is fully submerged. Leave it for 5-7 hours in a cool place and wait for the results.

• If the yolk becomes cooked or partially cooked, the honey is real.
• If the yolk shows little to no change, the honey is fake.

Put Honey in the Refrigerator
This method takes more time than the previous ones.

Place a reasonable amount of honey in a glass jar and place it in the freezer for 7 hours to 1 day.

• If the honey hardens but remains very solid and leaves some crystallized residues like sugar, it is fake honey.
• Real honey will also thicken but will have a chewy consistency like taffy or malt candy, not hard and brittle like fake honey.

2. When Does Honey Expire and How to Recognize It

Expiration Date of Honey
For commercially sold honey, the expiration date is usually indicated on the packaging. Honey bought at supermarkets typically lasts around 2-3 years, depending on the manufacturer’s technique.

For pure honey, if stored properly, it can last for several decades (several dozen years).

How to Recognize Expired Honey
Honey is primarily composed of sugar. Over time, when exposed to air, the sugar in honey absorbs moisture, causing the water content to increase. This leads to chemical reactions that cause honey to ferment.

When honey starts to ferment, its properties change, which can harm your health. Signs of spoiled honey include:

• It turns black.
• White bubbles appear on the surface.
• It has a pungent, unpleasant odor.
• When tasted, it has a sour, bitter flavor.

3. How to Store Honey

Store Honey in Glass Containers
Glass containers are considered the safest for storing honey. They are sturdy, odorless, and do not alter the properties of honey, even when stored for a long time. However, be cautious as glass can be fragile.

Glass containers also help "enhance" the value of honey when gifted to others, as they appear elegant and attractive.

Store Honey in the Kitchen
A simple and effective way to store honey is to keep it in your kitchen, ideally at a temperature between 21 - 27°C (70 - 80°F). Store it where it is easy to see and use, but avoid placing it in high-temperature areas, such as near an oven or refrigerator.

Seal Containers Holding Honey
Sealing honey containers tightly minimizes exposure to air. If not sealed, honey can lose its flavor and color, as it absorbs moisture from the air. Even a small drop of water can accelerate the fermentation process.

Additionally, sealing containers protects honey from pests and insects and helps maintain its freshness by reducing the presence of strange odors or bacteria.

Avoid Storing Honey in Metal Containers
Honey is mildly acidic, and storing it in metal containers over time can cause unnecessary chemical reactions, producing harmful substances.

Aside from glass, you can use ceramic, porcelain, plastic, or wooden containers to store honey. Avoid using metal containers.

Do Not Store Honey in the Refrigerator
While the refrigerator is useful for storing most foods, it’s not suitable for honey. As mentioned earlier, the ideal storage temperature for honey is between 21 - 27°C (70 - 80°F). Low temperatures in the refrigerator cause honey to crystallize, making it difficult to use or for beauty purposes.

4. How to Deal with Crystallized Honey

Crystallization in honey is normal and does not affect its quality. You can fix this by following these two methods:

• Method 1: Leave the crystallized honey in its jar. Boil some water in a pot or pan, then place the jar in the hot water. Keep the heat low and stir occasionally until the honey returns to its original consistency.
• Method 2: If using a glass jar, you can place the honey in the microwave for 2-3 minutes to return it to its original state.

5. How to Keep Ants Away from Honey

Wipe the Mouth of the Honey Container
After each use, wipe the mouth and the body of the honey jar with a clean paper towel to remove any remaining drops of honey. These drops attract ants. Cleaning ensures that ants are not drawn to the sweet smell of the honey.

Place a Small Cup of Water Under the Honey Container
This is an old and effective method. Ants are afraid of water, and they cannot cross over a large body of water. This method is useful for those who often forget to clean the jar after use.