Alterations of Honey

Are there Many?

Crystallization and Quality

Crystallization is a natural phenomenon, is not related with the quality of honey and does not cause any change in its nutritional value.  A crystallized honey is neither adulterated nor is it spoiled. It can easily be liquefied again by just placing it in hot water [bain-marie], without it losing its biological and therapeutic attributes.

Adulteration and Honey

Honey is one of the few foods that cannot be adulterated. Mixing with water is extremely difficult and mixing with glucose or other sweetening substances is easily detected.  Honey has 12 different qualitative criteria and it is from the foods that are continuously inspected.

Varieties of Greek Honey

Greece produces Honey?

There exist two main varieties of Greek Honey.

‘Anthómela’ / Wildfloral - Polyfloral Honeys   

They are produced from the nectar of many types of flowers’ pollen.  When they have specific characteristics, they will receive the name of the plant from which they emanate. Thus we have honey of thyme, orange, heather, chestnut, cotton, acacia, etc. 

‘Dasómela’ / Honeydew Honeys    

They are produced from the secretions of aphids [small plant-eating insects] that are found mainly in forest trees.  When they have specific characteristics, they will receive the name of the plant from which they emanate.  Main categories of this type of honey are pine, fir and oak.

Greek Honey Categories

Each category of honey has its own peculiarities and characteristics that make it distinguishable.  The categories that we find are the following:

‘Méli Thymarísio’ / Thyme Honey

An intensely aromatic honey, with exceptional flavour and a bright appearance.  It is classified as one of the better quality honeys to exist.  It crystallizes within 6 to 18 months of production.  It is a toner, has antiseptic attributes and empowers the immune system of the body.

 
‘Méli Portokaliás’ / Orange Blossom Honey   

It has a splendid perfume and exceptional flavour.  It crystallizes within 1-3 months of production.  It is intensely lightly colored, and takes on a whitish coloration once it has crystallized.  Its organoleptic characteristics are particularly liked by the consumer.  It is rich in hesperidin, a flavanone glycoside, which has strong anti oxidative attributes.

‘Méli Ilïánthou’ / Sunflower Honey    

A lightly colored honey, which crystallizes within 1-2 months production.  Once crystallized, it has a slight yellowish hue, is rich in polyphenols which play an important role in our diet.

‘Méli Eríkis’ / Heather Honey    

It is also named ‘sousourísio’.  A product with high nutritious value, a toner for the body, and for this it is mainly found in Health Food Stores.  It has an odour and flavour that is liked particularly by demanding consumers.  It crystallizes within 1-3 months of production, where it proceeds with a reddish appearance.

‘Méli Kastaniás’ / Chestnut Honey    

With an intense characteristic odour and flavour that expresses very little bitterness.  It crystallizes late, within 1-2 years of production.  It has high bacterial stagnation attributes, is more resistant to heat, and can be stored for a longer period than other honeys.  Chestnut Honey increases blood circulation and aids in cases of dysentery.

‘Peykómelo’ / Pine Honey    

Emanating from aphid secretions and produced in the pinewoods of our country.  It is not particularly sweet and for this its flavour is much liked.  It rarely crystallizes, is rich in trace elements, proteins and amino-acids.  It has fewer calories than Pollen Honeys.

‘Méli Vamvakioú’ / Cotton Honey    

A lightly colored honey that changes to whitish following crystallization, which occurs 1-3 months following production.  It has the highest anti-bacterial attributes since it is the richest honey in hydrogen peroxide.  It is also used in the mixture with bee pollen-sam, beauty creams, cosmetics etc.

‘Méli Elátis-Vanilia’ / Vanilla-Fir Honey    

This honey has a flavour liked from the most exigent consumers.  It is the honey with the least calories. Vanilla-Fir Honey has a distinguishable appearance, since it creates the essence of highlights within its interior.  This honey does not crystallize and its particular characteristics have been guaranteed with certification as to its origin from the equivalent Greek Body for PDO [Protected Designation of Origin].

‘Anthómelo’ / Polyfloral Honey    

A multiple origin honey, which bees have produced from the abundance of Greek plants.  Its attributes differ depending on the plants of origin.  Usually light colored, it has an exceptional perfume and flavour.  When darkly colored, it has a high nutritious value because of its richness in trace elements [potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, etc].