Glass transition temperature of honey as a function of water content as determined by differential scanning calorimetry

The glass transition of pure and diluted honey and the glass transition of the maximally freeze-concentrated solution of honey were investigated by di fferential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The glass transition temperature, T- g', of the pure honey samples accepted as unadulterated varied between -42 and -51 degrees C. Dilution of honey to 90 wt % honey content resulted in a shift of the glass transition temperature by -13 to -20 degrees C. The con centration of the maximally freeze-concentrated honey solutions, C-g', as e xpressed in terms of honey content is approximately 102-103%, i.e., slightl y more concentrated in sugars than honey itself. The application of DSC mea surements of T-g', and C-g' in characterization of honey may be considered, but requires systematic study on a number of honeys.