When people mention the word Honey, research have found that most people immediately think Manuka Honey, and it being the "best honey" in the market. Did you know that Manuka Honey was written as only made in New Zealand and that Australia was exempt from the media as a producer of Manuka Honey? Well think again.
Manuka Honey is produced by the extraction of nectar from the Leptospermum Scoparium tree. This particular tree and other members of the large Leptospermum family are actually native to both Australia and New Zealand. Did you know that there are far more Leptospermum Scorparium in Australia than in New Zealand to date?
Leptospermum Scoparium
This amazing tree have many medicinal properties and usually contain more methyglyoxal (MGO/MG) than most other honey types. There is nothing unique about manuka. It's health benefits can be found to a greater or lesser extent in other honey types.
PA Peroxide Activity
This measures the antibacterial activity which is largely caused by the presence of glucose, Oxidase, an enzyme which creates a slow release of hydrogen peroxide.
NPA (UMF, MGO) Non-peroxide Activity
In honey terms, the quality of the honey is measured and tested with UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) trademarked term used by the NZ Manuka Honey Industry, which is a term used by NZ for NPA (Non-peroxide Activity). NPA is the general scientific testing for any honey however was given a fancy name for 'Manuka Honey'. MG or MGO is the amount of methylglyoxal that is present as parts per million in honey. There is a strong positive correlation between NPA and the amount of MGO that is present in the honey for testing purposes. Confused yet?
This used with PA (Peroxide Activity) which is a measure of antibacterial activity in honey, gives you a Total Activity Factor that you will see on most packaged honey products I.e. 10+,30+,1000+ (exaggerated misinformation). Please note that UMF is a term used for Manuka Honey which is the same as NPA for Honey overall. (there is nothing unique about it other than the name that is given)
So in the most basic of testing most honeys will have a PA rating of 10+ with upwards of 5+ to 30+ in NPA (MGO) to give you an overall TA of 15+ to 40+ depending on the type of honey.
In short;
1.) Manuka Honey is not just New Zealand grown but Australian grown too, honey farmers in Australia will have bees that pollinate and extract from the same tree type as 'Manuka Honey' bees.
2.) UMF is a fancy name for NPA which is the standard scientific testing that measures antibacterial property of honey that is not caused by hydrogen peroxide.
3.) Look for the TA which is the total activity of honey to distinguish the quality of the honey not the UMF.
We are a proud distributor of Australian Grown Raw Honey with TA grading as the basis for all our honey. 100% Australia Made
