What is Unique About Manuka Honey? | Discover Its Unique Benefits

Manuka honey naturally contains methylglyoxal (MGO), a compound providing stable anti-bacterial activity. Methylglyoxal concentration in the honey varies with higher concentrations providing stronger anti-bacterial activity. No other food, including other honeys has naturally any significant methylglyoxal concentration. Methylglyoxal Levels in Foods Comparison (mg/kg) Flowers of the manuka tree ( Leptospermum Scoparium ) in their nectar produce a compound dihydroxyacetone (DH

Kerry Paul The discovery of methylglyoxal (MGO) significantly boosted the credibility of manuka honey worldwide. Until June 2007, international sales of manuka honey were limited because the industry struggled to explain to consumers and the scientific/medical community why this honey was unique. While all honey was traditionally claimed to be anti-bacterial, there was no clear explanation for why manuka honey was different. I, Kerry Paul, the Founder of the MGO Manuka Honey

The discovery of naturally-occurring methylglyoxal (MGO) in manuka honey was a pivotal moment for the product. This breakthrough provided consumers with a clear and logical explanation for why manuka honey is special, justifying its substantial price premium over other honeys. The difference in MGO levels in Manuka honey explains the price differential since the higher the concentration the higher the price. The impact on global sales of New Zealand manuka honey was immediate

Until June 2007, the New Zealand manuka honey industry relied on a holistic approach to marketing the product through the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF). However, the weakness of this approach was that nobody knew what the factors were. This inability to explain why the honey was superior meant that neither consumers nor the medical and scientific communities were prepared to support it. I set out to establish scientifically what was in manuka honey that was driving its stable an

In 2007, I, Kerry Paul, invited competitors to join me in marketing manuka honey under the MGO Manuka Honey System. Initially, the response was negative, and some even tried to discourage Manuka Health from marketing based on MGO content. I found this to be ironic since being transparent to consumers substantiated the unique health benefits of Manuka honey. Over the next few months, a group of New Zealand competitors launched a global public relations campaign aimed at discre

Eventually, competitors had to move to the MGO Manuka Honey System, a change that occurred about four years after I launched it. Over these four years, resistance to the new system evaporated as the adoption of the MGO approach grew rapidly worldwide, including its acceptance by the scientific community. The qualitative UMF assay was dropped and replaced by the quantitative methylglyoxal measurement. Professor Peter Molan, University of Waikato developer of the UMF trademark

My interest in manuka honey had been sparked from childhood. My Uncle Don was a bee-keeper in Te Awamutu, Waikato during the 1930’s. His focus was producing clover honey for his own retail brand in local shops. During this period large tracts of the manuka tree still existed in the Waikato. With further land development no large tracts exist today. Uncle Don Paul, 1930's beekeeper who observed health properties of manuka honey Uncle Don told me he used to produce manuka honey