What Is UMF?

 

• UMF is the name of a very beneficial antibacterial property found in some strains of manuka honey. (UMF is not in all manuka honey.)

• UMF indicates the honey has a high antibacterial component.

• UMF is a guarantee and measure of the antibacterial potency of honey.

• UMF Manuka Honey (UMF10 is minimum level) has enhanced antibacterial potency giving it special healing qualities.

• UMF Manuka Honey is the preferred honey when selecting honey for special therapeutic uses.

• UMF is an industry registered name, trademark, standard indicating antibacterial quality

• The UMF standard is the only standard worldwide identifying and measuring the antibacterial strength of honey.

 

UMF was first discovered by Dr Peter Molan, MBE, of Waikato University's Honey Research Unit.

 

Honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide, a proven antiseptic with antibacterial properties.

 

Dr Molan's research found another more powerful and more stable antibacterial property, called UMF, in some strains of manuka honey. UMF is additional to the hydrogen peroxide antibacterial property. These two properties together have a synergistic effect enhancing their effectiveness.

 

Studies are showing the enhanced antibacterial qualities of UMF Manuka Honey gives the honey special healing qualities.

 

There are Two Types of Manuka Honey:

 

1. Ordinary manuka honey with only the hydrogen peroxide antibacterial property common to most honeys. A very nice table honey.

 

2. UMF Manuka Honey with both the natural hydrogen peroxide antibacterial property plus its own natural UMF antibacterial property, giving it increased antibacterial potency. A specialty honey identified by the name UMF. It is the preferred honey for wound dressing and other special therapeutic uses.

 

The Name UMF

 

To distinguish between the two types of manuka honey Dr Molan (honey researcher) and the Active Manuka Honey Industry (AMHIG) have named the additional antibacterial property UMF (meaning Unique Manuka Factor).

 

It is unique because it is only in manuka honey and in only some (not all) manuka honey.

 

The name UMF is the seal and trademark of the Active Manuka Honey Industry and is available for use only by licensed users who must meet set criteria.

 

The UMF Standard is an industry registered standard indicating which honey has the special UMF property.

 

The name UMF on the front label guarantees the honey has this special property.

 

UMF Guarantee

 

The name UMF is a guarantee that the honey being sold has the special UMF antibacterial property to at least the level indicated on the label.

 

It applies only to honey packed in New Zealand and tested after each batch is packed. It does not apply to honey in drums, etc still to be packed, nor to honey not packed in New Zealand.

 

The UMF Rating

 

The name UMF is followed by a number indicating the strength of the UMF property after the honey has been packed in New Zealand. A UMF rating of 5 is the minimum.

 

Laboratory Testing of Manuka Honey for UMF Rating:

 

The special UMF antibacterial property is not found in all manuka honey.

 

The presence of this property can be detected only by special laboratory testing.

Samples of honey are sent to a specially appointed laboratory for testing for antibacterial activity using criteria laid down by the Honey Research Unit at Waikato University, New Zealand.

 

These tests measure the presence of and level of the UMF antibacterial property.

 

The Test Results

 

The testing of the honey provides two sets of results:

 

1. Total Activity rating which measures. Most honeys have a Total Activity rating with activity being due to the hydrogen peroxide property. Total Activity does not identify the UMF property.

 

2. UMF Activity rating indicates the strength of the UMF property. For this test a catalyse is added to the honey sample to remove the hydrogen peroxide so that all that is measured is the strength of the UMF property.

 

The UMF activity rating is the most important when identifying manuka honey with the special UMF property.

 

The UMF Ratings (measure of antibacterial strength):

0-4: Not detectable

 

5-9: Maintenance levels only (a nice table honey but not recommended for special therapeutic use)

 

10-15: Useful levels endorsed by the Honey Research Unit at The University of Waikato

 

16 and over: Superior levels with very high activity.

 

 

 

What Can UMF Do?

 

1. In laboratory studies the UMF property has been found to be effective against a wide range of bacteria including the very resistant helicobacter pylori (this bacteria causes most stomach ulcers), the wound-infecting bacteria staphylococcus aureus and escherichia coli, streptococcus pyogenes (causes sore throats).

 

2. Studies are showing UMF Manuka Honey with high levels of UMF could be very effective in helping relieve stomach ulcer symptoms and gastritis, and when applied topically, in assisting the natural healing of skin ulcers, wounds, burns, boils, cracked skin, MRSA.

 

Studies are also showing the UMF property helps make UMF Manuka Honey excellent for relieving sore throats and oral hygiene.

 

3. The UMF property is very stable, unlike the hydrogen peroxide antibacterial property common to most honey. The hydrogen peroxide property is easily destroyed by heat, light and water and also destroyed by the catalase effect of the body serum.But the UMF property is quite stable.

 

Why is UMF In Only Some Manuka Honey?

 

Bees gather manuka honey from the nectar of the flowers of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) which is a native plant of New Zealand.

 

The manuka bush grows wild on undeveloped, unspoilt and regenerating land, and is commonly found throughout the country.

 

Manuka honey with the UMF property is gathered from the manuka flowers in only a few places in New Zealand - UMF is not in the nectar of all manuka flowers.

 

It is also evident that some areas of manuka bushes do not produce honey with the UMF property every year, and the concentrations of UMF can vary from batch to batch and year to year.

 

For this reason samples of every batch of UMF Manuka Honey are tested after the honey has been packed to ensure the presence of UMF.

 

UMF is a phytochemical-derived property (it comes from the nectar of the flower); whereas the hydrogen peroxide property common to most honey is from an enzyme added to the honey by the bee.

 

The reason why only some manuka honey has the unique UMF antibacterial property is not yet known.

 

It could be from a subspecies of manuka or due to some environmental factor such as soil type. The researchers are currently looking into this question.