How to check the quality of honey? Lovers of this product may ask such a question. The most reliable data can be obtained in the laboratory. But what if it needs to be done at home? So how to check the quality of honey at home?
There are many ways to check the quality of honey. The simplest indicators are taste, color, consistency. A good, fresh product should not be cloudy. If sediment is found in the jar or container, the honey has been heat treated. Honey should taste sweet, but not sugary. The new product is believed to be liquid and viscous. If you lower a stick into it and raise it, the jet will stretch down for a long time and continuously.
You can also focus on flavor. But there are varieties that have a faint smell. Therefore, it is more suitable for professionals who are well versed in the varieties of this delicacy.
How to determine the quality of honey at home
The above factors, even if they give a result, are very inaccurate. Once the honey is at home, it can be analyzed more thoroughly. This will require only those items that are in most families:
- iodine;
- paper;
- vinegar;
- water.
Checking honey with water and iodine
The easiest way to test the quality of honey is with warm water. After stirring the treat in it, it should completely dissolve in the liquid. If this does not happen, or a sediment appears in the mug, the product cannot be considered natural.
However, the simplicity of a method does not mean that it is accurate. A more reliable result can be obtained if iodine is used. If, when added, the honey color has acquired a bluish tint, the product has additives. A similar reaction occurs when iodine interacts with flour or starch. They are added to the sweetness to increase the volume of the product.
How to test honey with paper or vinegar
When checking the quality of honey with paper, you need to use a newspaper or napkin. If the product seeps or the surface gets wet, the product has been diluted with water. This is done for the same purpose as mixing flour and starch.
In pursuit of savings and profit, manufacturers or sellers can add chalk to honey. Use table vinegar to test for it. Add a few drops of the solution to the product and wait for the result. If the honey contains chalk, the mixture will bubble or foam.
