SC - Re: Honey trivia

[ChannonM at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/11/00 7:53:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Balthazar writes:

> Yes, in fact, that IS an interesting bit of trivia.  I have often wondered 
>  why honey was so microbiologically stable, and always assumed it was due 
to 
>  the lack of available water and extremely high sugar content... perhaps 
> there 
>  is more to it after all..
>  
>  Balthazar of Blackmoor

I too have wondered about honey's effectiveness as a preservative. I thought, 
in addition to Bal's mentions, that the lack of oxygen due to the smothering 
effect of the honey deterred- deterioration. There are many recipes (dating 
back to Apicius) that instruct one to place fruit , for example in a jar of 
honey to keep them for prolonged periods. Now we know more about honey. It is 
reassuring to see developments in modern  science that reconfirm what the 
medieval person understood. Not that they necessarily knew the chemical 
rational, but they had IMO, a significant understanding of what worked and 
what didn't. (Okay, I have a feeling there is lots of debate on this, but I'm 
going to war and will be unsubbing for the week, y'all can take over that 
conundrum :) )