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Honey can serve as a natural food preservative. It has the potential to reduce enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables and prevent lipid oxidation in meats. The table shown below, compiled from information provided by the National Honey Board, shows how honey functional characteristics can be used to enhance various applications. Honey is made when honeybees collect the nectar and sweet deposits from plants, then modify the deposits and store them in a honeycomb. Honey, known by many as the perfect food, can enhance almost any type of recipe.
APPLICATIONS FOR HONEY | |||||||||||
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Characteristic | Function | Bakery | Beverage | Cereal | Confection | Dairy | Meat | Sauce | Snack | Spread | |
Antimicrobial Properties | Delays Spoilage | X | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | X | |
Carbohydrate Composition | Flavor Enhancement | - | X | - | - | - | X | X | X | X | |
Color | Coloring Agent | X | - | X | - | X | X | - | - | - | |
Composition | Decrease Burn Perception | - | - | - | - | - | X | X | X | - | |
Crystallization | Texture | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | X | |
Flavor | Flavoring Agent | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
Humectancy | Adds Moisture | X | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | X | |
Hygroscopic | Retains Moisture | - | X | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | |
Lower Freezing Point | Freezing Point Depression | - | X | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | |
Low Glycemic Index | Reduces Rebound Hypoglycemia | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | |
Miscibility | Water Soluble | X | - | - | - | X | - | X | - | X | |
Maillard Reaction Precursors | Antioxidation | - | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | |
Nutrition | Healthy Appeal | X | X | X | X | X | - | - | X | X | |
pH Balance | Inhibits Bacterial Growth | - | X | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | |
Preservation | Slows Staling | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Pro-biotic | Enhances Bifidobacteria | - | - | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | |
Proteins | Clarification | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Pumpable | Extrudable | X | - | - | X | - | - | X | - | X | |
Reducing Sugars | Enhances Browning | X | - | X | - | - | X | X | X | - | |
Spreadability | Improves Reduced-Fat Products | X | - | X | X | - | X | - | - | X | |
Viscosity | Binding Agent | - | X | X | - | - | X | X | X | X | |
Water Activity | Extends Shelf-Life | X | - | X | - | - | - | X | - | - |