Storing honey is easy. One of the best things about honey is that it doesn't spoil quickly. Bacteria doesn't grow easily in honey, but improperly sealed containers could cause it to spoil or at least decrease the quality of its texture, flavor and aroma.

"Store honey at cool room temperatures" is the easiest rule to remember. At subzero temperatures many amino acids and vitamins in honey are destroyed. Тemperatures above 45 degrees Celsius worsen the taste, the flavor is lost, the color of honey changes and beneficial properties decrease.

Find a suitable airtight container to store the honey. Avoid non food-grade plastic or metal containers. Glass jars are the preferred containers for this purpose. When quantities are larger, you can use stainless steel containers.

Locate a place that is dry and also cool to store the containers. Moisture is one of the biggest enemies of honey, so always make sure the jars are tightly sealed because honey can absorb odors and moisture when it is exposed to air. The flavor and aroma of honey are due to the essential oils. They evaporate very easily. In most cases, a cupboard or pantry will suffice to store honey. Make sure that the cupboard or pantry is dark and not subjected to direct light. Avoid placing containers with honey near your stove or oven.

When honey gets older, it may solidify and crystallize . This process is natural and can take place anywhere from three to six months after you first opened the container. Actually, if this doesn't happen you may not have natural honey. See also " Where to shop for real honey? ". It also gets darker with age which could change the flavor. You may notice significant changes in less that one year.

Crystallization is the natural process of glucose sugar molecules aligning into orderly arrangements known as crystals. It is not an indicator of spoilage, impurity, age or quality. Even crystalized the honey will still be safe and healthy to consume.

Storing honey in the refrigerator accelerates the honey’s crystallization.

The rate of crystallisation varies for the different types of honey. Tupelo honey and Acacia honey, for instance, tend to stay liquid and is able to resist crystallization better than other types of honey, whereas Dandelion, Clover and Lavender honey rush to crystallise.