Manuka honey is extracted from the blossom nectar of the Manuka shrub. This is also known as South Sea myrtle and related to the Australian tea tree. The shrub grows mainly on the mountainous north island of New Zealand and in the Australian state of New South Wales. Manuka honey has become the focus of health-conscious honey lovers through studies at the Dresden University of Technology.

The honey has a dark color from cream to brown and is very viscous. Its taste is complex, prompting gourmets to compare to heather, but also attributions of a floral, earthy, mineral and altogether rich aroma. The palate experience varies according to the proportion of manuka pollen processed by the bees into honey. As Manuka grows wild and the beekeepers do not limit the bee flight, they also harvest pollen from other mountain plants. The New Zealand Government states in its guidelines that the share of manuka pollen must be 70% to allow for sale and export as true New Zealand manuka honey.

The special about Manuka honey

Honey contains a lot of sugar and little liquid and is therefore able to remove micro-organisms by osmosis the liquid. That’s one reason why honey does not usually spoil. In many (native) honeys is found – but in very small quantities – a substance that is referred to as MGO (methylglyoxal). In 2006, scientists at the Dresden University of Technology proved that MGO acts „in vitrio“ (in the laboratory) against germs.

Manuka honey contains this substance in much higher concentrations. New Zealand certifies this honey under the registered trademark MGO + ®. The following number indicates the amount of MGO in milligrams per kilo of honey. The more MGO is included, the more expensive the honey is sold. Well-known providers in Germany are, for example, New Zealand house, Sonnentor and Hoyer.

Some importers deviate from the specification MGO + ® and use the factor UMF. This characterizes the effect on harmful microorganisms, not the amount of MGO in honey. Occasionally, providers cite the UMF as more reliable and see no comparability with the MGO concentration. However, there are also portals and online shops that offer a conversion table.

Beware of too cheap offers

20,000 tons of honey are sold worldwide as manuka. However, New Zealand beekeeping is only 1,700 tonnes. Manuka honey, which has just been traded via Hong Kong, has often failed in tests – in some cases he was with syrupstretched or declared wrong.

Even reputable vendors offer glasses at temptingly low prices, where a close look reveals the reason: the amount of MGO is too low for its effect. The related with the Manuka Kanuka honey may also be mixed. This type of honey can not produce relevant amounts of MGO. For honey lovers, such a honey is still a delicacy – provided it is properly labeled and chosen consciously.

Since honey lasts a very long time, it is advisable to buy larger glasses for stockpiling. Some manufacturers even offer a whole kilo. Manuka honeys with higher MGO values ​​are thus more cheaply available relative to smaller glasses.