Laboratory & Physicochemical Analyses
Our company, “Amphipolis Apiculture”, consistent with its obligations and devoted to offering its customers pure and high quality products, has carried out a chemical analysis of this year’s production in cooperation with the accredited laboratory of “QLAB”. Analyses indicate an excellent honey, of excellent quality and perfect HMF levels. The lack of heavy metals shows that our bees graze exclusively on the pure and undefiled nature of Mount Pangaio. The fact that there are no traces of pesticides or sugars, which would alter the quality of our honey, confirms the special care, attention and love we show to our colonies.

Honey
Bees collect sugar-rich flower nectar from plants. Nectar is 80 to 95% water and 5 to 20 percent sucrose (table sugar). As the bee takes the nectar back to the hive, a protein enzyme in its stomach called invertase hydrolyzes sucrose to a mixture of glucose and fructose.
Bees remove water from this sugar solution using two methods. Nectar is transferred from bee to bee, so water to be removed by absorption through the bee’s stomach wall. Also, by constantly fluttering their wings, they can generate heat and air circulation inside the hive and evaporate water from the stored in open cells nectar.
When the majority of sucrose is converted to fructose and glucose, and most of the water has been evaporated to a content of about 17.8%, we have a delicious sticky mixture, called honey!Finally, honey bees cap the cells with wax to seal them and preserve the honey.
Honey is a very powerful nutritional product, which if stored properly, will last for years, if not decades. In fact, honey has been found perfectly preserved in tombs of the Pharaohs in Egypt.

Honey Storage
Honey is a very powerful nutritional product, which if stored properly, will last for years, if not decades. In fact, honey has been found perfectly preserved in tombs of the Pharaohs in Egypt.
The quality of honey may be damaged by the following factors:
- Excessive humidity
Ideally, the content of moisture in honey should be less than 17.8%. If the moisture content is too high, i.e. greater than 20%, honey can be fermented, because of the yeasts it has.
Since honey is hygroscopic, if it is not stored in a sealed container, it will absorb moisture from the air. - Excessive heat
Honey loses many of the benefits for our health due to temperature and time.
40 οC for 30 days
30 οC for 6 months
20 οC for four years
10 οC for 35 years - Prolonged exposure to sunlight
Honey loses many of its health benefits with prolonged exposure to sunlight. - Noxious elements in its environment
Honey is hygroscopic and takes on odors from its environment. It is also acidic, so it can dissolve metal if stored in metal containers.
Honey Storage Guidelines
Store honey in a sealed non-metal container.
For normal use, store the container in a cupboard (away from direct sunlight) at room temperature (21 οC).
For prolonged storage of honey (> 4 years), store at refrigerator temperature (4 οC).

Honey Crystallization
Crystallization is the formation of glucose monohydrate crystals from an over-saturated sugar solution (i.e. honey).
Factors that will increase the rate of crystallization:
- Lower water content
- Higher glucose content
- Presence of solid particles (i.e. grains of pollen and honey crystals)
- Temperature close to 14°C (temperature above 28°C and below 5°C results in very slow crystallization)
- Stirring
Note that slower crystallization produces larger and more irregular crystals.
Crystallization is a natural phenomenon which does not spoil the honey. In most cases, the crystallization process can be reversed by gently heating the honey to “melt” the crystals.
How to de-crystallize honey
Honey that has started to crystallize, characterized by glucose crystals forming on the bottom of the container, can be easily melted. Simply put the honey container (with the lid on) into a warm water bath on the stove at approximately 45°C for a couple of hours, or as necessary. Stirring the honey occasionally will speed up the process.
