About UMF® Manuka Honey

UMF® is a quality standard set up by the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association (previously called the Active Manuka Honey Association - AMHA).

The term UMF comes form 'Unique Manuka Factor' and means the special extra property that is important in manuka honey research.

It helps protect consumers from being misled into purchasing honey with little or no activity.

The UMF® quality mark consists of an internationally accepted measure of the additional antibacterial potency found in some manuka honey, as well as wider quality standards. Not only is the honey independently tested before being packaged, but AMHA run an ongoing monitoring and auditing process for further consumer confidence. The UMF® standard is the only independent, globally accepted measure of the antibacterial strength of manuka honey, and is also the only 'whole quality' system.

Only licensed producers that continue to meet all of the quality standards are able to use the UMF® mark on their jars.

Did you know that all honeys are 'active' to some degree? All honey contain some antiseptic properties from natural hydrogen peroxide activity, though the level can vary greatly between different honeys. While it has some benefits, and helps explain why many cultures have used honey as a medicine, this hydrogen peroxide activity can be degraded or destroyed by light, heat, and body fluids.

Some Manuka honey (not all) naturally contains an additional, non-peroxide antibacterial activity, extra to the hydrogen peroxide part, that remains stable even under adverse conditions. It is this additional property found in some Manuka honey that has made Manuka famous and the supporting research is based on.

The UMF® rating (number) shows the antibacterial potency solely from this unique, additional non-peroxide component. As used in supporting research.

What about 'Active' honey? - well, anyone can label their honey as 'active'. And what activity are they measuring? Are they giving the hydrogen peroxide activity, or the total activity (both of which do not relate to the UMF® measure), or something else?

You can see a full range of genuine UMF® Manuka honey here.