Preserving Honey

[silverfan]

Hi,

Near to where I work is a local bee keeper who has offered to sell some of his fresh honey (harvested last week), the honey is still on the comb.

For £28.50 I can buy 6pounds of fresh honey from him, so I have a few questions for anyone who knows about honey.

First, does this seem like a good deal for fresh comb honey?

Second, I know that honey is a good food for preppers in that it preserves itself, but is there anything I would need to do to help preserve fresh comb honey, the bee keeper is selling it in small weighed cardboard boxes, with the comb honey wrapped in clingfilm. Could I just leave it in this packaging and place it in a cool dark place (how long would it keep for), or would I need to unpack it and place it in some other food container?

Hope that makes sense and any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[Shymatty]

No idea, although I have heard that honey can be kept indefinately? Not sure if thats true but If its not it certainly lasts along time.

Don't know what happens to honey when its jarred and sold in a shop? Does it get "pasturised" or somthing similar?

[tigs]

the comb is wax so should last as long as the honey !

[Moony]

Honey in jars from shops would only need to be pasteurised if it has additives like water (cheapo stuff sometimes will). Pure + fresh honey should not really need any treatment or special storage requirements, just keep it clear of cross-contamination (glass jars are ideal). Occassionaly honey crystalises as it ages, but warming it up should re-liquify it, and theres no problem using the crystalised stuff anyway. Basically it will keep forever, it doesn't go 'off'.

[York Prepper]

Hmmm we all know honey not containing any of the additives above keeps forever, so why do the jars still have expiry dates of barely over a year?

I've always wondered this question.

Look at sugar, it doesn't expire, and has not got a date anywhere on the pack.