Even though honey doesn't have an expiration date, it can still undergo natural changes. The National Honey Board says that over time honey may “darken and lose its aroma and flavor or crystallize,” depending on changes in temperature.
In general, honey doesn't spoil. However, it can go bad if it's contaminated or incorrectly stored. If your honey has visible mold, or if it smells fermented or "off," then it's time to toss it.
Over time, honey will turn darker, cloudier, and crystallize. If this happens, there's no cause for alarm. The honey is still perfectly safe to consume.
Honey never expires. The healthy sweetener—which contains antibacterial proteins and enzymes as well as plenty of antioxidants—is good forever. Seriously. Kept sealed in an airtight container, the National Honey Board says honey remains edible indefinitely—even if it crystalizes or darkens over time.
Many people believe that once their honey has crystallized, it is spoiled and is no longer safe to eat. This is false, as natural honey is one of the only foods that never expires (if sealed properly). Crystallized honey is completely edible- in fact, you can use it in the same ways you use liquid honey!
Fake honey will never crystallize in the same way. You may see some sugary mess around the top of the jar or bottle but the actual contents inside won't crystallize in the same way as real honey.
1. Honey. In 2015, archaeologists reported that they'd found 3,000-year-old honey while excavating tombs in Egypt, and it was perfectly edible. This durability is thanks to the unique features of honey: it is low in water and high in sugar, so bacteria cannot grow on it.
Even though honey doesn't have an expiration date, it can still undergo natural changes. The National Honey Board says that over time honey may “darken and lose its aroma and flavor or crystallize,” depending on changes in temperature.
Honey can stay edible for years, even decades, but honey is a natural product, which means it will change over time. For honey, those changes may include darkening color, thicker consistency, and different taste. Changes in honey are actually good signs (so long as they're not signs of fermentation).
While water doesn't expire, some concerns are associated with its plastic bottles. These vessels can produce health concerns and odd tastes as they degrade over time and microplastics enter the water. Properly storing water in your warehouse, office or facility may help mitigate these risks.
Most bacteria and other microbes cannot grow or reproduce in honey i.e. they are dormant and this is due to antibacterial activity of honey. Various bacteria have been inoculated into aseptically collected honey held at 20°C. The result showed loss of bacterial viability within 8–24 days 27.
You don't have to toss that honey! Even if honey had been sitting on your shelf for 2,000 years, that honey would still be as good as the day you opened it. In a nutshell, well-stored honey never expires or spoils, even if it's been previously opened.
Moisture and warmth kick-start fermentation, so if you've ever left a jar lurking at the back of a warm cupboard only to find a 'honey explosion' later on, you may have unknowingly fermented your own honey!
The first thing to note here is that if your honey is bad, you will know your honey is bad because it will be fermented and it will taste sour instead of sweet. Crystallization is a natural process and does not mean that the honey is bad.
To perform this test, try dipping a matchstick/cotton bud in honey and then light it. If it burns, that means the quality of your honey is pure. Adulterated honey might not show consistent results or burn properly, due to the fact that moisture or fermentation which might affect its quality and taste.
As long as your honey is sitting sealed on a shelf, it can stay good forever — which explains how scientists have found honey in dry Egyptian tombs that is still good to eat! There are several factors at play that give honey this unique — and delicious — chemical make-up.
But there's something about honey; it can remain preserved in a completely edible form, and while you wouldn't want to chow down on raw rice or straight salt, one could ostensibly dip into a thousand year old jar of honey and enjoy it, without preparation, as if it were a day old.
The most amazing thing about honey is not how old it is, but rather the fact that you can still eat it after thousands of years!
Honey is one of the only foods that doesn't spoil.
In fact, while excavating the Egyptian pyramids, archeologists found pots of honey estimated to be about 3000 years old, and they were still perfectly fine to eat! Over time, honey will crystallize but this doesnt mean it's bad.
Honey does not go bad. In fact, it's recognized as the only food that doesn't spoil. It will, however, crystallize (becoming thick and cloudy) over time. If this happens, just remove the lid from the jar, place it in a pan of water, and warm it over low heat until the honey returns to its original consistency.
Why does honey become safe at 1 year old? For children over 1 and adults, the spores are harmless. Our digestive tracts can process the spores if we ingest them, which prevents us from getting sick.
Among the treasures discovered during the famous 1922 archaeological excavation of King Tutankhamun's tomb was a jar of honey. Archaeologists tasted it (brave souls those archeologists), and to their amazement, found it to be as sweet as, well, honey.
Honey should be stored in a cool, dry area inside a tightly covered container. Over time the honey will darken and flavor will change but it will be safe to eat indefinitely.
Honey is by definition not vegan, since it a bee product, and bees are animals. Here's a nuanced article about how the ethical issues surrounding this sweetener fit into the broader concept of vegan living.