Lovers of authentic manuka honey have reason to be optimistic that in the future Australia may eventually become as important a producer of the honey as New Zealand. Australia has been slower to develop its manuka honey industry but that is gradually changing. Australian manuka honey may soon be the new buzz word for fans of authentic manuka honey!
Exciting long-term manuka honey project
Australia is in fact home to around 80 different types of manuka tree, unlike in New Zealand where there is only one, and this fact is behind an exciting project to test manuka honey produced from different species to find out which ones may have more antibacterial properties.
Nearly 1200 samples of manuka honey from around Australia have been analyzed to date and beekeepers up and down the country are eagerly awaiting the results. The research project is being carried out by the University of Technology Sydney, the University of Sunshine Coast and the University of Sydney.
Antimicrobial properties
Studies carried out on Australian manuka honey by the Australian Manuka Honey Association have also shown that Australian manuka honey also contains the all-important special compound, namely methylglyoxal (MGO), which is responsible for the honey’s amazing properties and has to be present to be considered a genuine manuka honey.
Australian Manuka Honey Association
Logo of the Australian Manuka Honey Association – AMHA
The Australian Manuka Honey Association is Australia’s own organization that promotes Australian manuka honey and has also developed its own Mark of Authenticity.
The AMHA’s Mark of Authenticity label is based on the presence of methylglyoxal, the key naturally occurring compound in manuka honey that is responsible for its unique properties.
The level of MGO is used for the rating system partly because Australian manuka honey producers are not allowed to use the UMF manuka honey label as the term UMF has been trademarked by New Zealand and can only be used on manuka honey from New Zealand.
In order to use the AMHA’s logo, the honey also needs to be tested in an independent laboratory and it must be sourced from plants from Australia.
These are exciting times for fans of manuka honey and Manuka Honey World looks forward to sampling some Australian manuka honey in the near future.