Unique Manuka Factor (UMF)

What is UMF®?

UMF® is a registered trademark. It is a quality mark that is used to identify honey that has the special non-peroxide antibacterial activity which is naturally present in some strains of manuka honey, but it is not in all manuka honey. The type of manuka honey that has the special antibacterial activity denoted by the trademark UMF® is highly sought-after for its health-giving qualities.

The trademark UMF® is a quality mark that represents the testing of the non-peroxide activity in honey using various test methods. Underpinning this AMHA uses a range of biological and chemical methods and the approved testing laboratories are accredited and have international standing and recognition. The highly regarded IANZ Accreditation of the UMF® test method gives formal international recognition of the UMF® test method.

UMF® is an antibacterial property which is naturally present in some strains of manuka honey, but it is not in all manuka honey UMF® Manuka Honey, the type of manuka honey which has the special UMF® antibacterial property, is highly sought-after for its health-giving qualities.

What is special about UMF® Manuka Honey?

Laboratory studies have shown that UMF® Manuka Honey is effective against a wide range of very resistant bacteria including the major wound-infecting bacteria and the stomach ulcer causing bacteria helicobacter pylori.

For thousands of years honey of all kinds has been known to have healing properties.  It has also been traditionally recognised that honey from some plants in some areas is more effective than other honeys.  Most honeys have antibacterial activity due to the enzyme, glucose oxidase, which gives rise to hydrogen peroxide, a proven antiseptic with antibacterial properties.

Since 1981 Dr Peter Molan, MBE, Professor in Biochemistry has researched the ancient healing properties of honey.  He discovered that the honey from some strains of the New Zealand manuka bush (Leptospermum Scoparium) has a non-peroxide antibacterial activity not present in any other honey.

Laboratory studies have shown that manuka honey with a non-peroxide activity level of UMF®12 to UMF®15 is effective against a wide range of very resistant bacteria including the major wound-infecting bacteria and the stomach ulcer causing bacteria helicobacter pylori, whereas honey without the non-peroxide activity was less effective.

But the special non-peroxide antibacterial activity is not present in all manuka honey hence the need for the assurance provided by the trademark UMF®.

UMF® is Totally Natural

The special non-peroxide antibacterial activity is naturally present in the nectar of some manuka flowers. Manuka Honey is totally natural and safe and has been enjoyed for its own unique flavour for many years.

The UMF® Standards

The special non-peroxide activity is additional to the usual active properties of honey, but not all manuka honeys have this activity and among those that do, the strength varies.

The UMF® Standard was established to identify and set apart the type of manuka honey which has health-giving benefits. The small proportion of manuka honey that has the special activity and meets AMHA's rigorous standards of production, manufacturing, sampling and handling is identified by the trademark UMF®.

Testing honey for antibacterial activity

The presence of the special non-peroxide activity can be detected only by an array of scientific testing directly relating to the phenol standard. The rating has a one-to-one relationship to the phenol standard.

The UMF® Rating

The name UMF® is followed by a number that indicates the strength of the non-peroxide antibacterial activity present in that batch of UMF® Manuka Honey tested in a licensed laboratory after the honey has been packed.

A UMF® 5 rating is the minimum to qualify to use the name UMF® 

Consumer Protection

The Active Manuka Honey Association (AMHA) is committed to protecting the integrity of the UMF® trademark and to protect the interests of consumers by ensuring the UMF® labelled products they purchase are true-to-label.

History

Honey has been used as a medicine by many cultures since ancient times (Ransom, 1937, Adcock, 1962). More recently the interest in honey as a newsworthy agent has increased due to the recognition of a definite antibacterial effect. This antibacterial effect of honey varies substantially depending on the honey type (Dustmann, 1979).

It has also been observed that Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium: Mytacaea) honey has a higher level of antibacterial activity that cannot be explained solely by the honey osmolarity, pH and glucose oxidase activity (Russel, 1983). This contributor of activity is now referred to as the non-peroxide activity denoted by the trademark UMF®

Dustman (1979) had noted the existence of antibacterial activity that was not due to glucose oxidase activity or the high osmolarity. However, he was of the opinion that the latter activity was only a minor portion of the activity.

Molan & Russell (1988) gave evidence for the existence of antibacterial activity not due to hydrogen peroxide in Manuka honey and also found that Manuka honeys with a high overall activity had a high amount of the non-peroxide activity.

The Manuka honey activity has been found to be heat and light stable (Molan & Russell, 1988, Tan et al., 1988, Russell et al., 1990) and preliminary studies of Tan et al. (1988) showed that the additional activity was soluble in organic solvents, e.g. ethanol and ether.

From the University of Waikato