RHEOLOGY AND CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS OF HONEY: PRESENT STATUS

Crystallization property of honey is a matter of interest for beekeepers, honey handlers and processors. Honey is basically a sugar syrup with about 16-18% moisture content (wet basis). The composition and rheology are some of the important parameters that influence the crystallization behavior of honey. At present, most of the crystallization prediction methods are based on the composition considering honey as a glucose-fructose-water system. This review paper presents current methods used to predict honey crystallization and puts forward a hypothesis based on viscosity and glass transition temperature.