How does honey crystallization occur?

Honey crystallization primarily occurs when glucose precipitates from the supersaturated solution of honey. Honey is made up of sugars, primarily fructose and glucose, along with water and various other components. When honey is in its liquid state, it is a supersaturated solution, meaning it contains more sugar (in this case, glucose) than can remain dissolved in the liquid at lower temperatures.

As honey ages or is stored at room temperature, the glucose can begin to separate out of the solution. This is due to the fact that glucose is less soluble than fructose, especially at cooler temperatures. When the concentration of glucose reaches a point where it can no longer remain dissolved, it starts to crystallize and form solid crystals, leading to the honey becoming cloudy and granular. Therefore, the process of crystallization is closely tied to the behavior of glucose as it precipitates from the solution, making this option the correct answer.

Other factors, such as the presence of pollen grains or tiny air bubbles can act as nuclei for the crystals to form, speeding up the crystallization process, but the underlying cause is indeed the precipitation of glucose.