Honey does not spoil. Jars found in ancient Egyptian tombs were still edible.
Archaeologists have found sealed honey thousands of years old that was still perfectly preserved. Properly stored honey may crystallise, but it does not go bad.
Why is this true?
Honey is about 80 percent sugar and very low in water, so bacteria and yeasts cannot grow in it. It is also mildly acidic and contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide made by bee enzymes.
More facts in this category
More about food
Food facts sit right where biology, chemistry and history overlap. A fruit that is technically a berry, a spice worth more per gram than silver, a sweetener that never spoils in a sealed jar — the reasons usually come down to sugar, acid, water and how long humans have been moving plants around the planet. Each entry explains the mechanism in plain language, and links to a source if you want the longer version.