One thing to note is that the presence of methylglyoxal in honey doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it’s genuine Manuka honey. See the UMF Honey Association website for the complete list. UMF and MGO manuka honey is available world-wide. However, the UMF grading system also measures NPA (non-peroxide activity) which represents the industry’s standard phenol disinfectant. Methylglyoxal (MGO) is one of the chemical markers of manuka honey. However, most people are interested in Manuka honey’s unique antibacterial characteristics. KFactor is a grading system created and used exclusively by Wedderspoon. That probably means the grading systems are all the same and a 10+ UMF Manuka honey is basically the same as a KFactor 12 Manuka honey, right? A byproduct this interaction is hydrogen peroxide. Those bubbles you see when you pour hydrogen peroxide on a cut is the peroxide breaking down. Phenol is a common antiseptic and is often used in research as a benchmark to compare the relative strength of other antibiotic substances (like Manuka honey). Some honey brands use methylglyoxal content alone as the basis of their honey grading system, notably Manuka Health. While most honey contains small amounts of MGO (typically 0 to 7mg/kg), Manuka honey can contain more than 100 times the MGO found in normal honey. Both MGO and UMF are trusted Manuka honey grading systems, and both measure MGO (methylglyoxal) content. The MGS grading system is a trustworthy grading system that was created by the leading authority on Manuka honey. Press the ‘Convert to MGO’ button to see the equivalent MGO content (mg/kg). Grading systems that report only on the purity of the honey are not useful because we know that not all Manuka honey has NPA. Some honey brands use methylglyoxal content alone as the basis of their honey grading system, notably Manuka Health. Avoid relying on the KFactor grading system if you’re looking for quality Manuka honey. What is Manuka Honey and Why is it Special. It measures specifically the amount of Methylglyoxal (MGO) compound in manuka honey. You may be familiar with the fact that honey has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. For the purposes of conversion, we assume a honey’s UMF rating is generally equivalent to its non-peroxide activity measured as % phenol. It should be noted that anything less than a 10+ UMF Manuka honey is not considered to have significant antibacterial activity. You may be surprised, however, to learn that the antibacterial activity is due to hydrogen peroxide in the honey. The higher the number, the higher the concentration of methylglyoxal. Methylglyoxal (MGO) is one of the chemical markers of manuka honey. Hydrogen peroxide is very sensitive to heat. UMF Manuka honey is some of the most trusted Manuka honey around, and for good reason. This has lead to confusion for consumers that assume all Manuka honey has the powerful antimicrobial properties that Manuka has become famous for. Secondly, and more importantly, in 1981 researchers from the New Zealand University of Waikato discovered that even after the hydrogen peroxide in Manuka honey was neutralized, it still exhibited strong antibacterial activity. These labels are very misleading and are unlikely to offer any of the antibacterial benefits manuka honey is known for. UMF 20+ honey would be much more potent, with an MGO content of at least 826mg/kg. The MGO Manuka Honey grading system is a precise and reliable test that simply and directly reflects the MGO content of the honey. Testing for MGO levels is important as they can vary greatly – not all Manuka honey is equal. Some of these non-UMF manuka honeys show ratings on the labels such as 12, 16 or 24+ that look confusingly like UMF ratings. Their website states that, in the future, they intend to measure MGO levels (among other things) as part of the KFactor grading system. Using MGO as a grading system is a reliable way to assess the therapeutic strength of the honey. UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor and is one of the best grading systems out there. According to the UMFHA, 100mg/kg of leptosperin is enough to guarantee that the honey is genuine Manuka. The reason for this is that high levels of NPA are only found in Manuka honey. Manuka honey without a true UMF or MGO rating is unlikely to be premium manuka honey and is more likely to be a blend with other types of honey. Glucose oxidase is an enzyme that is added to flower nectar by honey bees to break down glucose sugars. Requiring a minimum MGO content of 100mg/kg ensures that the honey is genuine Manuka honey as only Manuka honey has MGO content that reaches these levels. When you’re shopping for a jar of Manuka honey the big question you should ask is: Does this honey have non-peroxide activity and how strong is it?