SMOKE & MIRRORS IN THE MANUKA HONEY INDUSTRY
With all these factors combined and the ever-growing global demand for Manuka honey, it is easy to see why some producers and manufacturers might enjoy the confusion that comes with Manuka honey.
There has been a tendency to try and stretch the 4000 tonnes of the production of Manuka honey as far as possible. If the previous tests for Methylglyoxal were passed, then all was good, all was ok. When there is a lack of regulation, then the outcomes are obvious. Manuka honey purity is defined by far more than the sum of methylglyoxal, UMF or MGO or any of the many grades proliferating the global market.
Labelling criteria and legal requirements are different outside of New Zealand. For instance, genuine New Zealand Manuka honey tested and packed in New Zealand cannot use words such as Antibacterial, Antibiotic, Activity, Healthy, Medicinal, Medical or Active on the label to describe the product.
In summary and as your absolute number one, bare minimum safeguard and guide to excellence when you are buying Manuka honey outside of New Zealand, make sure that the Manuka honey was harvested, tested, certified and packed in New Zealand.
Remember made in New Zealand or produced in New Zealand does not always mean it was packed in New Zealand. It just means the bulk Manuka honey came from New Zealand. Therefore the packing, labelling, testing and purity regulations may not have met the same strict standard.
Purity and authenticity have been hard to monitor with the lack of an international standard. There were loop holes and advantages have been taken. Inconstant quality has gone some way towards giving the Maunka industry a less than perfect reputation.
The team behind PURITI believe you shouldn’t have to be part of NASA or an Oxford graduate or a member of MENSA to have confidence in what you are buying. Genuine New Zealand Manuka honey is expensive enough without you having to worry about the authenticity of the product.
PURITI Manuka honey defines genuine, defines quality and defines authenticity.
Our higher testing is on the label. We want you to know what you are buying. At PURITI we define higher standards and everything we do is underpinned by honesty, integrity and transparency.