Is your honey the real deal?
How to tell genuine Manuka from poor imitations
MANUKA honey is delicious, and m a ny people reckon it’s good for them, too. But how do you tell if the Manuka honey you buy is the real deal — or a poorquality imitation?
Some dishonest companies have been caught diluting their Manuka with cheaper honey, sugar syrup or even chemicals after it has left New Zealand.
In fact, up to half of all honey sold as Manuka may not be what it claims on the label.
To make sure you are getting the real, valuable product and not being ripped off with a poorquality imitation, first check it meets New Zealand’s government’s MPI (Ministry of Primary Industries) standard and was packed there.
That means it was sealed in a jar before it left New Zealand and should be safe from adulteration. Check the MGO rating. This shows how much methylglyoxal, a natural compound with antibacterial properties, it contains.
The higher the number, the greater the strength.
For added confidence, look for suppliers that test their honey in an independent laboratory both in New Zealand and on arrival in the UK.
The best test five times between the beekeeper collecting from the hive, and you buying your jar.
Lastly, does it have the ‘Hive to Home’ promise?
Reputable honey sellers can trace any jar of honey back to the beekeeper who harvested it, because they keep detailed records about every batch that they sell.
When buying Manuka honey, check that the packaging promises this traceability — if it doesn’t, you can’t be confident that it’s come from a hive of real New Zealand Manuka honey.