A NATURAL PRODUCT

Flavours that only nature can conjure

Honey is always a natural product - otherwise we wouldn't call it honey at all.
Bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers. The bees then store the nectar in the hive, where it matures into delicious honey.

HONEY TYPE

Behind the raw material

The colour and taste of honey varies depending on which flower nectar the honey comes from.

There are many thousands of honeys, which come from a variety of nectars such as lavender, acacia, eucalyptus, heather and orange blossom.

The consistency of honey is naturally liquid, but after a while it will start to crystallise and take on a more solid consistency. The ratio of the different sugars in the honey determines how quickly the honey solidifies.

The colour of honey can vary from almost white to black depending on which flowers the bees have collected nectar from. Light-coloured honeys are often mild, while dark-coloured honeys typically have a more powerful flavour.

Click on the honey types in the overview for more information.

What nature brings

Naturally organic

At Jakobsens we have a wide range of organic products - everything from sweet acacia honey to our tasty porridge mixes.

Jakobsens is approved for organic production of honey by the Danish Food Administration according to the rules of the EU Organic Regulation.

When producing organic honey, it is important that beekeepers comply with the rules on location, feeding, disease prevention and the condition of the hives.

Bees move in a radius of up to 3 km from the apiary. For the same reason, the organic honey regulation requires that apiaries producing organic honey be located so that nectar and pollen sources within a 3 km radius consist of organic crops and/or wild vegetation. The rules for organic honey are set out in the EU Organic Regulation.

See our certificates here
The morning meal

The good start to the morning

It all started with the flower and bien...

Since 1921, we have put our heart and soul into producing the highest quality honey that gives you the most delicious taste experience - straight from nature. We've been a staple on the breakfast table for generations, but now we're on a mission to "pollinate" your morning meal even more, so we can continue to help you get a natural, great start to your day.

That's why we have developed a breakfast range based on nature's larder, made exclusively from organic and 100% natural ingredients, free from artificial additives, preservatives and colourings.

We do this because we believe that natural ingredients from Mother Nature taste better and are a natural, good way to treat the planet. To us, that's pure nature.

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HONEY & COOKING

A versatile ingredient

Honey tastes great on bread and in tea. Most people are aware of this, but few know that honey is also ideal to use in many recipes instead of sugar in baking, pickling and cooking. Honey can also be used as a flavour enhancer and a spice, which can be used in both sweet and savoury cuisine - and to amazing effect. Ideally, honey should be kept next to salt, pepper and vinegar - close at hand in the kitchen.

Honey for marinades

Honey is also particularly suitable as a marinade for meat. This is because honey contributes a browner and more elegant colour to meat more quickly than many other sugars. In addition, the flavour nuances will also be more prominent.

According to a report by the Danish Technological Institute, using honey in marinades helps protect meat from rancidity. This is both during and after cooking, but the effect depends very much on the type of honey. Honey helps to improve eating quality as well as taste and smell. When meat is refrigerated or frozen, it can develop a rancid taste, which can be counteracted by using honey as an ingredient in a marinade. The reason for this is that honey has antioxidant properties that help reduce oxidation during storage. This helps to minimise the taste of the meat having been reheated. Clover and heather honeys have proven to be some of the most effective types of honey in preventing the meat from developing a rancid taste. Analysis has also shown that a 5% honey marinade can change the flavour profile of meat by making it both sweeter and less acidic. In addition, the study shows that the natural antioxidants in a marinade added as honey can extend the shelf life without the use of e-numbers. This makes honey a natural alternative to e-numbers.

Read more about honey marination at the Institute of Technology

Substitute for sugar

You need about a tablespoon of honey per ½ kg of flour. Although there is naturally occurring water in honey, in most baking as well as dessert recipes you will be able to substitute the sugar with honey in a ratio of 1:1. However, be aware that if you compare honey to sugar, honey naturally contains more water than sugar, so especially for baking, remember to reduce the amount of liquid slightly.

Using honey in desserts, baking and cooking gives food an exciting character. Similarly, honey will also be suitable as an essential ingredient in, for example, sweets and beer. In addition, liquid honey in particular can also be used as a supplement or substitute for caramel or chocolate sauce on ice cream, fromage etc.

ECOLOGY & SYRUP

Organic agave syrup

Jakobsen's organic agave syrup originates from Mexico and is available in a light and a dark version. Colour differences in agave syrup are due to the type of agave used and the degree to which the syrup is filtered. The dark agave syrup has a delicious and caramelised flavour, whereas the light agave syrup is sweeter and milder in taste. Add sweetness to everyday life with the delicate, organic agave syrup from Jakobsens. It's a delicious alternative to regular sugar. It dissolves easily and does not crystallise.

A (sub)tropical miracle

The agave plant grows in tropical and subtropical dry areas - and especially in the Caribbean and Mexico. The name means magnificent or excellent, and that's exactly what the plant is - especially when it's in flower. The agave is a perennial herbaceous plant that has a short, above-ground stem. The leaves of the agave are grouped in dense rosettes, in which the individual leaves are very fleshy, leathery, pointed and fibrous. The leaves contain a lot of reinforcing tissue so that they do not collapse under drought conditions.

Flowering of the agave plant takes many years, but when it flowers it will form a 2-8 metre tall inflorescence with many side branches and white or yellow flowers in a few weeks.

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A natural product

Agave syrup is a natural product extracted from the agave plant. Organic agave syrup is produced at low heat and has either a dark or light orange colour. In addition, the consistency of agave syrup is somewhat thinner compared to liquid honey.

You can use agave syrup as an alternative sweetener in all cooking. Agave syrup sweetens 1.5 times more than regular sugar, so you will need to use less of it. For example, use agave syrup in your coffee and tea, or as a topping on your yoghurt, muesli, pancakes or waffles.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Frequently asked questions

Why has the honey become so solid that it is not spreadable?

Jakobsens honey is a 100% natural product. Honey can vary in taste and consistency from tap to tap - depending on the vegetation the bees have drawn on. Likewise, there can be large variations from year to year. Therefore, the consistency of honey can vary from liquid to very solid. Storage temperature can also have a major impact on honey consistency. Cold makes the honey firm and warm makes the honey soft. Jakobsens recommends storing honey at 18 - 22°C. A firm honey in a plastic cup can be massaged soft by gently pressing the cup for about 1 minute. The friction heat alone can soften solid honey.

Why should honey not be given to children under 1 year?

All Jakobsen honeys carry a warning label stating that honey should not be given to children under 1 year of age. The reason for the warning label is that the honey may naturally contain bacterial spores, which in a few cases have been shown to be dangerous for infants as their immune systems are not fully developed. Honey is completely safe for children and adults.

The Danish Food Administration has decided that the warning label must be placed on all honey sold in Denmark. In other EU countries, labelling is voluntary or is done through information campaigns.

Why has the solid honey changed appearance - is it bad?

If honey is exposed to high heat over a long period, it will start to melt and a layer of liquid honey or a white layer of "foam" may form on top. There is nothing wrong with the honey from a food safety point of view. The honey can be stirred and will then regain its normal appearance.

There are white dots/crystals at the bottom of the liquid honey - is it bad?

As a natural process, liquid honey can crystallise over time. The white specks are naturally occurring crystals that disappear if the honey is placed in a hot water bath. From a food safety point of view, there is nothing wrong with the honey even if it has started to crystallise.

How long can honey keep?

Jakobsens guarantees up to 18-24 months shelf life from the date of production depending on the individual product. The shelf life is not affected by the packaging having been opened. You can see the shelf life of your honey on the "best before" date.

Is it true that nothing is added to honey?

Yes. Honey is a 100% natural product. No food ingredients, including additives or water, may be added. Furthermore, the natural composition of honey must not be altered, for example by removing natural ingredients. The rules are laid down in the Danish Honey Ordinance and in the European Honey Directive.

Is honey heated?

When Jakobsens receives Danish and foreign honey, the honey is usually very hard or partially crystallized. This means that the honey needs to be heated up so that we can remove the natural impurities, such as bees and beeswax, that are present in the honey. In addition, the honey is heated to melt the sugar crystals that naturally form in honey. The melting is to help filter and process the honey, turning it into, for example, a nice creamy honey that is ready to spread on bread.

Jakobsens makes sure that the heat treatment is as gentle as possible, so that the natural properties of the honey are preserved.

types of products

Tasty honey from Jakobsens

Did you know that we have a wide selection of both solid, liquid and organic honeys? The colour and taste of honey varies depending on which flower nectar the honey comes from. There are many thousands of different types of honey, which come from different nectars for example lavender, acacia, heather and orange blossom.

The consistency of honey is naturally fluid, but after a while it will start to crystallise and take on a solid consistency. The ratio of sugars in the honey determines how quickly the honey solidifies.