> Where is the science that repeatedly claims on paper that other honeys do not have the same antibacterial effects as manuka honey?

OK, remember: I'm an old guy, not a scientist (those aren't mutually
exclusive, are they?)...

Some honeys are more antibacterial than others, and that can be measured.

My understanding is that all honeys have antibacterial activity.  That
can come from its extremely high sugar content alone (?), but also from
the effect of the hydrogen peroxide that all honeys produce in very
small amounts when they are diluted.

Peter Molan found that even if that H2O2 component was removed, some
manuka honey continued to demonstrate antibacterial activity, (from
memory) up to 27 times more than the activity that the H2O2 had provided.

Here are some related references I have (most papers are down in the
banana boxes in the garage!).  The second one specifically addresses the
antibacterial activity that is not peroxide related.


Molan, P.C., Allen, K.L., Tan, S.T., Wilkins, A.L. 1989. Identification
of components responsible for the antibacterial activity of manuka and
viper's bugloss honeys. Annual Conference of the New Zealand Institute
of Chemtists :Paper Or1.

Molan, P.C., Russell, K.M. 1988. Non-peroxide antibacterial activity in
some New Zealand honeys. Journal of Apicultural Research 27:62-67.

Molan, P.C., Smith, I.M., Reid, G.M. 1988. A comparison of the
antibacterial activities of some New Zealand honeys. Journal of
Apicultural Research 27:252-256.

Willix, D.J. 1991. A comparative study of the antibacterial action
spectrum of manuka honey and other honey. M.Sc. Thesis. University of
Waikato; New Zealand.

Willix, D.J., Molan, P.C., Harfoot, C.G. 1992. A comparison of the
sensitivity of wound-infecting species of bacteria to the antibacterial
activity of manuka honey and other honey. Journal of Applied
Bacteriology 73:388-394.

It was some years later that the component giving this 'non-peroxide
activity' was identified as methylglyoxal, or MGO.  That is what is
measured for NZ to now allow honey to be exported as 'manuka' honey, and
in such approaches to indicating 'potency' such as the UMF rating
('unique manuka factor', I think it means - the acronym preceded the
discovery of the MGO as the cause.

I admit I have not followed either the literature or the market all that
close for some years.  The decision to more highly-regulate export of
manuka honey was certainly contentious here, as it made the
identification more objective (not just taste, etc).  It tightened up
the labeling and exporting considrably.

Nick Wallingford
Tauranga, NZ

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html