Bill Truesdell wrote
> > But I was wondering about long term storage of raw honey
> > for wound
> > treatment and if granulation decreases its efficacy?

 Nick Wallingford wrote:
> For anyone interested in honey for wound healing, I'd certainly suggest a
> thorough look around at http://honey.bio.waikato.ac.nz/contents.shtml, Dr
> Peter Molan's work over at Waikato University,

There is a short note on re-heating honey to liquefy it at the link (It has
a wealth of info and it is where I got the papers I gave to the doctor).
But I am looking for the effects of long term storage with
crystallization/granulation. That was not explicit in the write up at the
link. The glucose sugar is the one that crystallizes and glucose oxidase is
the key component for hydrogen peroxide formulation at the wound/honey
interface. How it tied in with the sugar? Is it also crystallized?

All I have read is that glucose oxidase is the main difference between
honey and other treatments at the wound/honey interface. When it comes in
contact with moisture it breaks down to gluconic acid and hydrogen
peroxide. It is easily destroyed by heating, hence the need for "raw"
honey.

It is honey's natural preservative. It keeps the nectar sterile when there
is high moisture until the honey reaches a low moisture content. Then it is
effectively inert, since now the osmotic pressure of the honey kills live
bacteria. A very efficient operation.

When honey granulates/crystallizes, is free water released or is it tied up
in the sugar complex? If it is released, is it able to react with the
glucose oxidase and reduce its concentration hence its efficacy in wound
healing? Is there a gradual decrese to zero or does it reach a set minimum?
Or is the glucose oxidase tied up with the sugar and non reactive?

By the way. As stated in another post concerning the acidity of honey, the
gluconic acid formed by the reaction of water with glucose oxidase is the
reason for the strong acidity of honey, which means you have another
bacteria inhibitor at the honey/wound interface. In addition, the
concentrated sugars add high osmotic pressures to kill live bacteria and-
supposedly- other components, such as sugars, vitamins and minerals, feed
the growing skin. The "feeding" was in some of the literature I read, but I
am not sure if it is an actual component of healing since it seemed to be
thrown in as a possibility more than a probability. In any case, there are
many things at work when honey is used for wound dressing.

If you use honey that has been heated to the point where you kill the
enzymes you will lose the hydrogen peroxide and acid environment. Medicine
already uses concentrated sugars to do the same thing as heated honey does.
Hence my question on the viability of glucose oxidase in crystallized
honey. It is what makes the difference.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, ME