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All-Natural Sweetener Can Extend Product Shelf Life

  • 3 April 2016

Hello Honey!

What is the all-natural sweetener that can extend bakery product shelf life? Honey.

Throughout history, people from different cultures used honey for a wide range of purposes– from cooking to health and beauty. But how does honey help with baked goods?

According to BakeMag.com’s Honey 101 article, honey can be used to extend the shelf life of bakery products due to its acidity content. The high acid content helps inhibit mold growth in the products. Research studies also show that honey can hinder staling.

How exactly do you replace sugar with honey? How will the liquid form react with dry mixes? The BakeMag.com article recommend bakers replace half the sugar in the recipe with honey and reduce oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning. Research has shown that liquid honey actually reacts quite well with dry mixes. The average moisture content of honey is 17%. It will keep baked goods moist and keep them from molding quickly.

Artisan breads can also benefit from using honey as sweetener. Honey caramelizes during baking and its natural occurring acids enhance the flavor of other ingredients such as spices and fruits.

Honey can even be used in frozen dough. According to research from the National Honey Board, by adding as little as 4% of honey in dough improved dough strength, color and taste.

As our society begins to shift towards a more wholesome way of living, we naturally look for foods that are made with healthy ingredients. Honey is naturally gluten-free and offers different taste, color, and texture in baked goods and can boost your energy level.

With honey’s ability to naturally sweeten and deter mold and staleness, it will be exciting to see what bakers all over the world create with honey. 

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