Manuka honey

Mānuka honey is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of the mānuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium. There is no conclusive evidence of medicinal or dietary value in using mānuka honey other than as a sweetener. The word mānuka is the Māori name of the tree.

Manuka honey is usually rated using a classification system known as the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF), which reflects the equivalent concentration of phenol (%, w/v) required to produce the same antibacterial activity as honey.

The composition of Manuka honey consists of carbohydrates, minerals, proteins, fatty acids, phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Although such compounds are found in other types of honey, other unique features also occur in Manuka honey, such as an unusually high level of methylglyoxal (MGO) formed from dihydroxyacetone (DHA) which correlates with antibacterial activity. Interestingly, the UMF rating of Manuka honey strongly correlates with MGO equivalence and antibacterial activity but the relation is not wholly understood.