Glossary
An enzyme naturally present in raw honey that breaks down starch into simpler sugars. Diastase activity (measured as the diastase number or DN) is one of the most important quality indicators for raw honey, as it degrades with heat exposure, making it a reliable marker of processing history.
Diastase (also called amylase) is one of several enzymes that bees add to honey during processing. It breaks down starch molecules into maltose and glucose. While this enzymatic function is not critical to honey's nutritional value per se, diastase has become the gold-standard marker for honey quality testing because of one critical property: it is highly sensitive to heat.
When honey is heated (during pasteurization, improper storage, or adulteration processing), diastase is progressively destroyed. The rate of destruction correlates directly with temperature and duration of exposure. By measuring the remaining diastase activity (expressed as a "diastase number" or DN), chemists can determine whether honey has been overheated, how long it has been stored, and whether it qualifies as genuinely raw.
The Codex Alimentarius international honey standard requires a minimum diastase number of 8 for commercial honey (3 for naturally low-enzyme honeys like citrus). Fresh, raw honey typically has a DN of 15 to 30 or higher, depending on the floral source and the bee subspecies. A DN below 8 raises red flags: the honey has either been heated above safe thresholds, stored improperly for extended periods, or both.
When we say our honey is "raw," the diastase content is part of what validates that claim. Our honey is never heated above natural hive temperature (approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit), so the diastase enzymes remain fully active. This matters because diastase activity is a proxy for the preservation of all heat-sensitive compounds in honey: if the diastase is intact, the other beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and volatile aromatic compounds are likely intact as well.
Fresh raw honey typically has a diastase number (DN) of 15 to 30 or higher. The Codex Alimentarius minimum standard is 8. Numbers below 8 indicate heat damage or extended storage. Higher numbers generally indicate fresher, less processed honey.
Rarely in the United States. Diastase testing is more common in European markets where it is a regulatory requirement. Most U.S. consumers rely on the beekeeper's claims of 'raw' status rather than laboratory-tested enzyme activity levels.
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