Does Honey Ever Expire or Go Bad?

Ancient Egyptians buried jars of honey inside the tombs of royalty, in the hopes that it would sweeten their passage into the afterlife. When the tombs were uncovered 3,000 years later, the excavated honey was perfectly preserved. This amazing story begs the question: does honey expire?

Here’s what you need to know about this sugar alternative.

Can honey ever expire?

No types of real honey expire because honey doesn’t spoil on its own. (More on why below.)

However, honey does change. It can change color from pale to dark. It can start clear and become cloudy. And, most peskily, its texture can change from smooth and thin to thick and grainy in a process called crystallization. Thankfully, none of these changes make the honey bad or unsafe to eat!

There is an important exception to this rule. If honey is exposed to moisture, it can ferment and spoil, which will be immediately obvious: smelly, sour, moldy and utterly unappetizing.

Why does honey have expiration dates?

Plenty of foods don’t need expiration dates, honey included. Stores use them largely to ensure that their stock is fresh. Obviously, they want to sell honey before it shows signs of aging. If your honey’s expiration date is approaching, it’s still safe unless it’s obviously fermented.

Does the type of honey make a difference?

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Yes, different kinds of honey will age differently. Less-processed honeys, like raw and honeycomb, are more apt to darken or crystallize. Many stores sell pasteurized honey, which is honey treated with heat. Treated honeys stay pourable and clear for longer, but the treatment may remove some of the natural antioxidants and nutrients found in less-processed honey.

Watch out for supermarket honeys that dilute pure honey with added stuff, like corn syrup. While they’ll stay good for a while, they’re not nearly as good for you.

If you’re overwhelmed by choice, we taste-tested many commonly available brands to find the best honey.

Why does honey never go bad?

Honey is inherently hostile to microbes and bacteria. It’s a very low-moisture sugar with an acidic pH, yielding an environment in which bacteria literally cannot thrive. Other foods share this description—think molasses—and keep a long time, but not indefinitely.

What makes honey so special? Bees “process” it: They swallow nectar and regurgitate it into combs to make honey. An enzyme in their stomachs breaks the nectar down into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Does the latter sound familiar? A natural antiseptic, it’s sold in drugstores to treat all manner of wounds. In other words, on top of its natural resistance to bacteria, honey’s hydrogen peroxide repels any microorganism with the temerity to trespass.

This amazing chemical makeup is also why honey has been used for medicinal purposes (like ointments, and to treat burns and wounds) for thousands of years, including by ancient Egyptians.

Can I eat dark or crystallized honey?

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Yes, both are safe to eat. In fact, you might even find that you like the texture of crystallized honey when spread onto bread!

How to Fix Crystallized Honey

You can restore crystallized honey to a pourable state by placing the uncapped jar in a double boiler or directly into a pan of warm (not boiling) water. Every few minutes, remove the honey and stir it. Be careful to use a clean utensil, and don’t let water drip into the container.

Microwaving honey isn’t recommended, as it’s difficult to heat evenly and easy to overheat, which may destroy nutrients.

How to Store Honey

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Store honey tightly covered to keep out air and moisture. The ideal location is cool and out of the sun, probably another reason the Egyptian tomb honey remained so pristine. In your own home, a pantry shelf will work just fine.

Ways to Use Honey

Use honey to top biscuits, bagels, toast, cornbread and cake. Honey tastes great with savory pairings, such as in sheet pan honey mustard chicken. It also makes a good dip for chicken tenders.

Many savory and sweet honey recipes take advantage of its rich flavor and thick texture, like salad dressings, grilled honey lime chicken, honey balsamic salmon and honey cake.