"Benet J. Pardini" <[log in to unmask]> writes:
>I have always heated my honey to about 100-105 degrees F for 24 hrs before
>bottling, distributing, etc., in the belief that it will inhibit or at
>least slow the crystallization process (advice from other beekeepers).
>However, I have also read somewhere (Dadant's beekeeping tome?) that this
>procedure will not necessarily maintain honey in its liquid form.  Can
>anyone supply any information (definitive or otherwise) about ways to
>inhibit crystallization and the potential benefits of heating?
 
As I understand it, 160 degrees F is the temperature to which honey
must be heated to permanently prevent crystalization.  It may depend
a bit on the specific nectar source, as the speed with which unheated
honey crystalizes certainly depends strongly on its source.
 
The "benefits" of heating include easy flow through the pipes of large
packing plants, consumer confidence for those that think the crystalized
stuff has gone bad, and loss of flavor.
 
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