MGO Manuka Power

MGO, which stands for methylglyoxal, is the natural compound found in Manuka honey. The power of MGO is what makes Manuka honey both valuable and special.   

Our research partner - Professor Thomas Henle (University of Dresden) and his team of researchers  discovered that MGO was the integral magic ingredient in Manuka honey. They came to these astonishing conclusions after many years of research and made breakthroughs that had eluded scientists from around the world for years. 

In 2008 Manuka Health kickstarted a pioneering MGO testing program. Based on the ground-breaking research of Professor Henle and his team, this testing would serve as the most reliable and precise way to grade Manuka honey. 

As a result, we know that not all Manuka honey is created equal and that MGO levels vary quite dramatically.  Every single jar of Manuka Health MGO Manuka Honey is tested and certified for natural MGO content before it gets to you. If you want to check how much MGO is in your jar of honey all you need to do is check the MGO number. It’s as simple as that. 

"Remember - the amount of MGO in your Manuka honey is directly related to its potency."

MGO and UMF

Both MGO and UMF are trusted Manuka honey grading systems that measure MGO (methylglyoxal) content. It is important that testing for MGO levels is carried out. Levels of MGO can vary dramatically from one sample of Manuka honey to the next. Precise testing ensures you get the best standard of Manuka honey that money can buy. 

The MGO Manuka Honey grading system is an exact and trustworthy test that simply reveals the level of MGO in your honey. The more MGO content the higher the grade of Manuka honey.

Here we've provided a useful comparison between MGO and UMF numbers. 

In addition, Manuka Health is a member of the UMF Honey Association

We believe in transparency and accountability. As part of an elegant new packaging design, we have added some small but important elements to reassure our customers of the potency, purity and authenticity of our honey.  

You can now find both the MGO and UMF rating systems on the packaging of our Manuka Health products. We carry both MGO and UMF labels on our products because we believe it offers the customer a verifiable level of transparency and is a reassurance of the origin and quality of everything we produce.

The UMF mark is a stamp of authority that authenticates the New Zealand origin. Additionally, our iconic red MGO double hex mark provides the exact content of MGO in each jar which indicates the potency and power of the honey. 

These trusted symbols are testament to Manuka Health’s position in the market as an established and reliable expert in Manuka honey. Moreover, with the rollout of our premium new packaging we have optimised the potency of our flagship MGO range. Our MGO 100+ will increase in natural MGO content to 115+, our 250+ to 263+ and our 550+ to 573+. This will ensure that you get to enjoy even more MGO Manuka power in every single spoonful. 

See table below for a more detailed guide which will explain our new MGO ratings with the corresponding UMF grade.

Original content from: https://www.manukahealth.co.nz/en-nz/