Process for making a honey product having a low water content

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a process for making a honey product having a low water content as well as honey products obtained using the process. The honey product retains the physical and palatable properties of untreated honey while having a prolonged shelf-life. It can be advantageously used to sweeten beverages (such as hot beverages) and in the manufacture of throat lozenges and/or confectionery.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A solid honey product consisting of honey and optionally a flavor and/or an upper respiratory care ingredient, wherein the solid honey product has a moisture content between 0.00 and 0.3% (w/w). 
     
     
         11 . The solid honey product of  claim 10  being in a granular form, a crushed form, a grounded form or a powder form. 
     
     
         12 . The solid honey product of  claim 10  being packaged in a water-impermeable membrane. 
     
     
         13 . A lozenge comprising the solid honey product of  claim 10  and optionally an upper care respiratory ingredient, wherein said honey product has a moisture content between 0.00 and 0.3% (w/w). 
     
     
         14 . The lozenge of  claim 13  being a throat lozenge. 
     
     
         15 . A confectionery comprising the solid honey product of  claim 10  wherein said honey product has a moisture content between 0.00 and 0.3% (w/w). 
     
     
         16 . The confectionery of  claim 15 , wherein the solid honey product has further been processed prior to the incorporation into the confectionery. 
     
     
         17 . The solid honey product of  claim 10 , wherein the solid honey product is capable of remaining a solid for at least one year of storage. 
     
     
         18 . The solid honey product of  claim 12 , wherein the solid honey product is capable of remaining a solid for at least one year of storage. 
     
     
         19 . A process for making a solid honey product consisting of honey and optionally a flavor and/or an upper respiratory care ingredient, wherein the solid honey product has a moisture between 0.00 and 0.3% (w/w), said process comprising:
 i) heating a liquid honey to a temperature of 98° C. to obtain a heated liquid honey;   ii) applying a pressure of 27 inHg to the heated liquid honey to obtain a dehydrated honey product having a moisture content between 0.00 and 0.3% (w/w); and   iii) cooling the dehydrated honey product to obtain the solid honey product.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , further comprising packaging the solid honey product in a water-impermeable membrane. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 19 , further comprising adding an upper respiratory care ingredient to the liquid honey or to the dehydrated honey product to provide an upper respiratory care product. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the upper respiratory care product is a throat lozenge. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 19 , further comprising formulating the solid honey product in a confectionery. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 19 , further comprising processing the solid honey product in a granular form, a crushed form, a grounded form or a powder form. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the solid honey product is capable of remaining a solid for at least one year of storage. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the solid honey product is capable of remaining a solid for at least one year of storage. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 19 , further comprising adding the flavor to the liquid honey or to the dehydrated honey product. 
     
     
         28 . A method to sweeten a composition, the method comprising adding the honey product of claim  1  to the composition so as to sweeten the composition. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the composition is a beverage or a throat lozenge.