Honey is one of the oldest sweeteners used by man, composed mainly of monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose, partially responsible for its crystallization. Honey crystallization depends on several factors, such as the sugar concentrations, natural percentage of water, the floral origin of the nectar, handling during processing and the storage conditions. The present work aimed to evaluate the effect of temperature and of the incorporation of honey crystals on honey crystallization, using the colour (as determined by the Whiteness Index - WI and changes in the brightness - ∆L* and the water activity as the parameters to accompany the changes. A 2² factorial experimental design was used, the variables being: percentage of honey crystals added and storage temperature. The samples stored at 11 and 21 °C were shown to crystallize, this being more evident in the sample stored at 11 °C with the addition of 5% honey crystals. The increase in water activity and in the Whiteness Index, as well as in the ∆L* were correlated with crystallization of the samples. The luminosity parameter L* and the Whiteness Index (WI) were higher at the temperature of 11 °C, where the samples crystallized faster.
Honey; Crystallization; Colour; Temperature; Water activity
