Why can honey be kept for a long time?

Honey is a very pure substance and needs no preservatives. It is a saturated, or even super-saturated, sugar solution with a water content of around 17 per cent. It is hygroscopic and any bacteria entering honey are dessicated and killed. For the same reason, mould spores are unable to develop.

As long as honey is kept in a sealed container to prevent it absorbing water from the atmosphere, it can be stored for many years. Indeed, honey has been discovered in a sealed pot in an Egyptian pyramid and was still edible.

The anti-bacterial properties of honey have been known for centuries. One of the first things the Romans used to do when then invaded a new area was to commandeer honey from the local hives to use as a wound dressing. Researchers are again looking into the use of honey to deal with some skin infections.