Thanks for buying a piece of cut comb honey!
Remember, if you have any questions about your honey that aren’t covered here, your local beekeeper will probably be more than happy to tell you how it’s produced.
Did you know that honey is a super-saturated solution of sugar in water (with bonus plant bits)?
What you’re experiencing is something known as “granulation”. Granulation occurs because a super-saturated solution isn’t a stable state for the solution to be in. Simply put, there is too much sugar in the water for it to remain in the water. Granulation is not a benchmark of authenticity, as fake honeys will also granulate.
Some like the taste/texture of granulated honey, so give it a go! Not only do different sugars granulate at different rates, but the sugars dissolve into saliva at different rates. A runny honey might taste very different when it’s granulated.
Probably not for the best. The wax will melt, and you’ll have a very strange tea off the back of it.
That’s pollen! Did you know that bees use pollen as their source of protein? That’s right - bees collect pollen on their legs when they are producing young bees, and they convert it into royal jelly to feed to larvae.
The pollen is compacted down in the cells with a bit of honey; and a bit of saliva, which provides enzymes and yeast to ferment (pre-digest) the pollen into what’s called “bee bread”. It’s edible, and is really quite tasty.
Ideally in an air tight container to prevent the honey in the tub absorbing any moisture. The sooner you eat it, the less risk of it going off, so dig in!
Yes! Everything that comes from a beehive is edible, including “bee glue”. The wax bees produce is food grade, and is completely edible. See the below answer:
Firstly, if you are going to try it with anything, make sure it’s got some well-salted butter with it. Toast is a safe bet. Alternatively, cheese and crackers with a slice of comb honey on top is sublime.
The comb almost gives the honey a savory texture/taste which complements some foods quite well. But if you’re inclined, you can just take a bite out of the comb and enjoy it whole.
Those specks you’re seeing are either: pollen, wax, propolis.
If you notice any colored specks, that’s probably pollen. If it’s a red-brown colour, it’s propolise. Again, both of these are edible. In fact propolis can add a whole different flavor to the honey!
Time to get serious - we’re going to talk about Botulism.
Botulism is an illness caused by toxins produced by a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum is found in abundance in soil. C. botulinum is a spore forming bacteria - when it’s exposed to harsh conditions such as a lack of available water, heat, or acidity, it turns into a sort of bacterial seed, known as a spore. When conditions improve, the seed germinates back into a working bacteria and will begin multiplying. When this bacteria multiplies in an oxygen-free environment, it produces a toxin called Botulinum Neurotoxin (the primary ingredient in Botox).
When nectar if foraged by bees, or when frames are placed outside of the hive, spores of C. botulinum can get onto the frames. When the bacteria is in honey, the “Water Activity” (available water) of the honey prevents the bacteria from germinating and multiplying. If it is fed to infants, the water in their digestive tracts dilutes the honey and allows the bacteria to multiply.
As adults, we have acid in our stomachs and digestive tracts that prevent C. botulinum from multiplying and producing harmful toxins. Infants don’t have an acidified digestive tract, so the bacteria can germinate and mulitply in their oxygen-free stomachs, causing Infant Botulism.
Do not give honey to children under one year of age!