One reason how honey becomes contaminated with sugar

[Duane]

Maybe i should have said cotton ball flame test.  Whatever he was doing up above.  Most likely, the water in the sugar solution dampened the cotton.  But sugar burns, and if the sugar water was reduced to the 18% moisture (or whatever honey is), shouldn't it be the same?  Or does honey "hang" more tightly onto the water than sugar?

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

What is the flame test?

The flame test for honey.

Obtain some cotton balls like the ones in the pharmacy that come in a package of about a hundred.  I pull some cotton threads and twist to make a string.  Place honey on this string and light with fire.  Have an ash tray close because the honey cotton will burn as is one put lighter fluid on it.  Pure honey will burn.  Honey with at least 10% sugar syrup self extinguish.

I will do a test with 5% prosweet, 95% Honey and post results shortly.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

At 5% prosweet 95% honey, the cotton ball self extinguished.

Same test 100% honey the cotton ball completely incinerated.

To make 5% 95% mixture:  I measured 0.05 ml of prosweet and throughly mixed with 0.95 ml honey. 

Conclusion, the flame test can distinguish 2X sugar in honey as low as 5% sugar/ 95% honey.
Blessings

I should add, I used a propane tourch lighter for ignition.  If you try this do it in a bucket or ash tray as cotton readily burns and when the flame hits the pure Honey it gets very hot.

[Duane]

Wow, measured .05 ml, impressive!  Must have the equipment.   By any chance do you have a way to measure the moisture content in the prosweet?  Also, what would be a good test would be to try it on non-recently capped sugar water from the hive.

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Duane, I have Pipets, I can accurately measure 1/1,000,000 of a liter.  That is one microliter {1ul} of a non vicious solution such as water.  Honey, syrup is thick and my pipets would NOT measure accurately.

I measured the syrup and honey with a standard 1 ml syringe barrel sometimes called a tuberculin syringe which has a large opening to intake viscous solution with ease, no needle as the needle is to small in diameter on a standard tuberculin syringe.
Blessings

[Acebird]

What is the flame test?

The flame test for honey.

Obtain some cotton balls like the ones in the pharmacy that come in a package of about a hundred.  I pull some cotton threads and twist to make a string.  Place honey on this string and light with fire.  Have an ash tray close because the honey cotton will burn as is one put lighter fluid on it.  Pure honey will burn.  Honey with at least 10% sugar syrup self extinguish.

I like simple easy test.  Thanks Van

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Hello Ace, Buddy, the easiest test for Honey is the skin test.  Place a small drop on your fingers or arm, I prefer my arm. Rub in the honey into the skin and after say 30 seconds the honey will obsorb into the skin and will not be very sticky.

Sugar will not obsord into the skin, not at all, and will remain very sticky, honey will obsorb into the skin, soften the skin and will leave a sheen with only a trace of residue left on the skin.

There are lots of skin creams, facial creams even soaps with honey.

After a few minutes, wash off any remaining residue of honey and feel the skin.  You will have to experience for yourself to believe how soft the skin becomes.  Try it for yourself and see what I mean.

[Duane]

Pipets!  That's the word that escaped me.  Guess it's been a few years and lost the word.  So do you have a refractometer?  And would that show the moisture content in prosweet or do they work only for honey?

[Acebird]

There are lots of skin creams, facial creams even soaps with honey.

I knew this.  Anyone who extracts honey knows how soft your hands can get afterwords but I did not know that it would completely absorb into the skin.  Thanks again.

[Michael Bush]

>The best policy is never to feed, then there's no contamination.

Except when the neighbor is open feeding sugar water...

[Van, Arkansas, USA]

Pipets!  That's the word that escaped me.  Guess it's been a few years and lost the word.  So do you have a refractometer?  And would that show the moisture content in prosweet or do they work only for honey?

I do not own a refractometer.  I do not sell honey and I store Honey in our freezer so a moisture content above 18 percent would not matter to me as the freezer would prevent spoilage.  I purchased some acacia honey this year that was 16.2 percent, this honey is thick.  So when I purchase honey I want to know moisture content.

Ya know Duane, I do not understand how a refractormeter works, I know it measures moisture but how???  Maybe a knowledgeable beek will chime in and explain.  If not, maybe we should start a new topic and ask.  I see these instruments for sale ranging from $30.00 to hundreds?????
Blessings

[Acebird]

https://www.coleparmer.com/blog/2013/09/20/understanding-your-lab-equipment-how-a-refractometer-works/
I think you are pulling our legs Van.