Adding honey to sugar feed

[enrico]

Just a thought, if I added half a jar of honey to a cold mix of sugar water feed would the anto bacterial properties stop mould...... Might try it. Surely can't do any harm.

 

[Sutty]

Just a thought, if I added half a jar of honey to a cold mix of sugar water feed would the anto bacterial properties stop mould...... Might try it. Surely can't do any harm.

I doubt it will stop mould, but they find it faster!

 

[Oculentum]

I understood that it is the very low water (<20%) to high sugar (>80%) ratio that inhibited moulds and yeasts. No doubt there will be some who quibble over the percentages but it's there or thereabouts. If you dilute the honey in a sugar solution, what are you achieving?

 

[robmort]

Yes, honey eventually goes mouldy in the frames if it's too diluted (not ripe) so it's the water content that matters not any magical anti-bacterial properties.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you dilute the honey in a sugar solution, what are you achieving?

bugger nothing

 

[Oculentum]

Perzackly

 

[enrico]

I understood that it is the very low water (<20%) to high sugar (>80%) ratio that inhibited moulds and yeasts. No doubt there will be some who quibble over the percentages but it's there or thereabouts. If you dilute the honey in a sugar solution, what are you achieving?

Makes sense, thanks.

 

[Wilco]

The only benefit you might have is if beneficial gut bacteria in the honey seed the sugar syrup. But that's me jumping the gun a bit on my PhD student's research.

 

[Sutty]

The only benefit you might have is if beneficial gut bacteria in the honey seed the sugar syrup. But that's me jumping the gun a bit on my PhD student's research.

Would love to hear more

 

[Wilco]

Would love to hear more

I'll update when there's something solid to go on.

 

[Andy]

I found that it started fermenting really quickly when I tried this. Although it might be I had too much water as I tried to dissolve the honey off the bottom of the tray I used to catch my cappings.

 

[Into the lions den]

Not a great idea. As others have suggested its sugar concentration that inhibits biological activity. Having had some exposure to the science of this in the preserves industry you get no fermentation or moulding if the concentration is 67% or over (and STAYS that way) and very little at above 63% solids. Hence 2:1 syrup at 66.6% is very popular in the periods when consumption might be slower (but we only use approx that as it is stable stored in IBCs, have done so for up to a year).

If you get a full analysis of honey, among the minor items reported are yeasts and moulds...the spores etc are just an environmental incidental occurrence.. not that your honey is bad....and could be triggered into growth in the syrup if you add honey to it.

However, for me the biggy is the possibility, even at low levels, of pathogens in the honey. You may not have clinical EFB or AFB...do not wish that on my worst enemies...but if you have sub clinical around, completely unseen and no criticism of beekeeping intended, you might inadvertantly be sowing the seeds of an outbreak in the medium to long term. Oldest rule in the book...do not feed honey..esp if you are unsure of its status.

Appreciate the amount in question is very small and the likelihood of harm is approaching (but not actually) zero.

 

[enrico]

Not a great idea. As others have suggested its sugar concentration that inhibits biological activity. Having had some exposure to the science of this in the preserves industry you get no fermentation or moulding if the concentration is 67% or over (and STAYS that way) and very little at above 63% solids. Hence 2:1 syrup at 66.6% is very popular in the periods when consumption might be slower (but we only use approx that as it is stable stored in IBCs, have done so for up to a year).

If you get a full analysis of honey, among the minor items reported are yeasts and moulds...the spores etc are just an environmental incidental occurrence.. not that your honey is bad....and could be triggered into growth in the syrup if you add honey to it.

However, for me the biggy is the possibility, even at low levels, of pathogens in the honey. You may not have clinical EFB or AFB...do not wish that on my worst enemies...but if you have sub clinical around, completely unseen and no criticism of beekeeping intended, you might inadvertantly be sowing the seeds of an outbreak in the medium to long term. Oldest rule in the book...do not feed honey..esp if you are unsure of its status.

Appreciate the amount in question is very small and the likelihood of harm is approaching (but not actually) zero.

Good answer, thanks, I would only have used honey from that hive but I now understand it is not a good idea so shelved that one👍