142 Principles of Food Science Honey The first sweetener to be used in food preparation was honey. Bees extract an invert sugar syrup from the pollen of flowers and store it in their hives for future use. Honey is about 75% invert sugar and 15% to 20% water. Bees are useful for the plant pollination process as well as the production of honey. Honey producers construct hives that allow easy access to the honey stores. The honey producers place the hives near large fields of plants. These plants have sweet blossoms that will give a pleasant flavor to the honey. Orange blossom honey comes from hives near large commercial orange groves. Clover honey comes from growers whose hives are located near large fields of clover. Isomalt Isomalt is a mixture of one part mannitol, one part sorbitol, and two parts beet sugar. It is very popular among baking and pastry chefs because of its unique properties. It liquefies at 154°C (310°F), colors easily, and remains clear. Because it does not form crystals, it can be blown and spun into a wide variety of sugar creations. See 8-7. Technology has made it possible to use enzymes to convert starch from abundant corn supplies into sweet syrups. This has economic benefits because corn is a plentiful crop in the United States. Ability to use corn sweeteners makes it possible for food manufacturers to keep processed food prices stable. Besides its availability and cost benefits, corn syrup has the advantage of being flexible in its properties. It is sometimes used to increase the viscosity, or thickness, of food products. Its sweetness can be varied by altering the hydrolysis process. This allows corn syrup to be used successfully for a wider variety of manufactured food products than sucrose. Sorghum Sorghum is a grass crop that resembles a field of short corn stalks. Sweet sorghum is grown in many areas for its sweet syrup, which resembles molasses. Sap is squeezed from the sorghum canes and then slowly boiled to evaporate away the excess water. In some rural areas, it is possible to watch farmers making sorghum syrup. Currently, scientists do not believe there to be a single cause for bee decline. Scientists attribute the dwindling numbers to several factors. The factors related to fatalities in bee colonies include: chemicals, loss of diverse plant material for foraging, varroa mites, diseases, and stress related to bee management practices. Research also indicates that low frequency electromagnetic waves from overhead power lines, cell phones, and computers interfere with worker bees’ ability to forage and return to their hive. To combat CCD and general hive losses, farmers work hard to sustainably apply pesticides, incorporate cover crops into their growing practices, and plant native species to promote rich foraging material for bee health. As a consumer and a citizen, you play a role in the health of bee populations. Do your part and increase the botanical diversity in your yard or community. Planting wildflowers is one way. Be sure to apply pesticides only when needed and only as directed on the pesticide label. Finally, as a consumer, purchase local honey from reputable bee farmers who employ sustainable production practices. Farm Futures Sweet as Honey, But Not Without Bees! Many people consider honey to be one of nature’s most delicious sugars. Aside from their production of honey, bees are thought to be responsible for one out of every three bites you eat. Bees act as a vital pollinator by transferring pollen from the male part to the female part of the flower. Fertilization, or plant reproduction, leads to the production of fruit and seeds. Bees pollinate crops like apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, and almonds they also help to make fibers like cotton for fabric and grains like oats that livestock eat. Scientists do not contest that bees are the most important pollinator and the entire food supply depends on them. Over the past half-century, however, bee populations have continued to decline. Since January of 2007, researchers have monitored the losses of beehives and have titled this Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD occurs when worker bees abandon the hive but leave behind the queen, immature bees (brood), nurse bees, and plenty of food reserves. Losses due to CCD have recently declined, but overall hive losses continue. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.