Ow, my toes are killing me!
Here is a little something I have pulled up on honey and it would be safer to top up but nowhere near as detrimental as a typical wine is. Remember that honey can sit foreb=ver on a shelf without going bad but will eventually crystallize, but heating it up will bring it back to its original form.
The major antibacterial activity in honey has been found to be due
to hydrogen peroxide produced enzymically in the honey. The glucose
oxidase enzyme is secreted from the hypopharyngeal gland of the bee
into the nectar to assist in the formation of honey from the nectar.
The hydrogen peroxide and acidity produced by the reaction:
glucose + H<sub>2</sub>O+ O<sub>2</sub> --> gluconic acid + H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>
serve to preserve the honey. The hydrogen peroxide produced would be
of effect as a sterilising agent only during the ripening of honey.
Full-strength honey has a negligible level of hydrogen peroxide because
this substance is short-lived in the presence of the transition metal
ions and ascorbic acid in honey which catalyse its decomposition to
oxygen and water. The enzyme has been found to be practically inactive
in full-strength honey, it giving rise to hydrogen peroxide only when
the honey is diluted. This is because the acidity produced in the
action of the enzyme drops the pH to a point which is too low for the
enzyme to work any more. On dilution of honey the activity increases by
a factor of 2,500 - 50,000, thus giving a "slow-release" antiseptic at
a level which is antibacterial but not tissue-damaging.
Edited by: wade