Mānuka Honey UMF™ Certification
When you choose UMF™ certified New Zealand Mānuka Honey, you are choosing honey that has undergone independent quality testing and certification.
The UMF™ (Unique Mānuka Factor) quality mark is an independent certification system for authentic New Zealand Mānuka Honey. It evaluates four key quality factors—potency, authenticity, shelf life, and freshness.
At The Wild Manuka, we believe certification should be more than a logo on a jar. It should give you the ability to understand where your honey comes from, how its quality is evaluated, and how you can trace it back to its certified batch.
What Does UMF™ Certification Mean?
UMF™ certification evaluates four important quality factors found in authentic New Zealand Mānuka Honey
MGO
PotencyMethylglyoxal (MGO) is one of the key naturally occurring compounds used to assess the potency of Mānuka Honey.
The UMF™ system measures MGO as one of the four factors used to determine the UMF™ rating. A higher UMF™ rating means a higher level of MGO and a higher quality grade.
Leptosperin
AuthenticityLeptosperin is a naturally occurring compound associated with Mānuka nectar.
It is one of the markers used in the UMF™ quality system to help authenticate genuine Mānuka Honey.
DHA
Shelf LifeDihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a naturally occurring compound in Mānuka Honey that gradually converts to MGO over time.
Testing DHA helps assess the honey's ability to maintain its MGO level throughout its shelf life.
HMF
FreshnessHydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a quality indicator used to assess whether honey has been exposed to excessive heat or prolonged storage.
Keeping HMF within the required limits helps verify the freshness and quality of the honey.
Why Four Factors Matter
A UMF™ rating is not simply an MGO number — MGO is one important measure of potency, but the UMF™ system combines four quality factors to provide a broader assessment of Mānuka Honey quality.
| UMF™ Quality Factor | What It Helps Assess |
|---|---|
| MGO | Potency |
| Leptosperin | Authenticity |
| DHA | Shelf Life |
| HMF | Freshness |
This four-factor approach is one of the key differences between the UMF™ rating and systems that measure only a single compound.
The current Whenua Honey batch certificate identifies Analytica Laboratories in New Zealand as the testing laboratory. a New Zealand laboratory with extensive experience in honey testing, Analytica Laboratories performs testing for New Zealand Mānuka Honey, including testing associated with the MPI Mānuka Honey identification requirements. It also holds ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation through IANZ for relevant Mānuka chemical-marker and DNA-marker testing. This independent laboratory testing provides an additional layer of quality assurance and helps verify the authenticity and quality of the honey.
Testing Laboratory: Analytica Laboratories, New Zealand
Your Honey Is Traceable
For example, our current certificate record identifies:
What Your UMF™ Rating Tells You
The UMF™ rating provides a standardized way to understand the quality and potency level of certified New Zealand Mānuka Honey. For example, UMF™ 5+ meets the UMF™ standard for that grade across the relevant quality factors, while higher UMF™ ratings require higher levels of the relevant markers, including MGO.
Importantly, UMF™ is not simply a measure of MGO. The rating incorporates multiple quality factors that help assess the authenticity, potency, shelf life, and freshness of the honey.
From New Zealand to Your Home
Our Mānuka Honey begins with the natural environment of New Zealand and is produced and packed in New Zealand.
The UMF™ certification system provides an additional layer of independent quality assurance, helping consumers identify genuine certified New Zealand Mānuka Honey and trace certified batches back to their quality records.
Current Batch Certificate
