DSC study of honey granulation stored at various temperatures

Non pasteurized, liquid and transparent honey containing very few and fine crystals was stored at 20, 10, 4 and -20 degrees C. The crystal growth was analysed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and by measuring the absorbance intensity at 660 nm over a 6mth period. In honey stored at 20 degrees C coarse crystals were formed with melting temperatures (Tm) between 45 and 65 degrees C, whereas honey stored at -20 degrees C granulated as a finely-grained, fondant-like honey, with Tm between 25 and 45 degrees C. In honeys stored at 10 and 4 degrees C big and small crystals were produced having intermediate characteristics when compared with honeys stored at 20 and -20 degrees C. The rates of honey granulation were calculated from Delta H values at the four temperatures. A linear relationship was found between the enthalpy of melting (Delta H) and the absorbance at 660 nm. The activation energy for the melting of coarse crystals was also determined with DSC. (C) 1998 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.