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Quality you can trust

Independently certifying New Zealand’s remarkable mānuka honey.

Unique Mānuka Factor UMF™ – Quality Certification

The beauty of mānuka honey comes from a complex collection of natural compounds that we call the Unique Mānuka Factors (UMF™) – and you won’t find it anywhere but in authentic New Zealand mānuka honey.

UMF™ is the only quality and rating system that independently certifies the presence and quality of all factors that make New Zealand mānuka honey unique, ensuring you get honey that meets your needs. Check for the UMF™ quality mark on the front of pack when choosing your mānuka honey.

The Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association (UMFHA) independently tests and certifies every batch from our 150+ members for four key factors that make the all-important UMF™ rating found on every jar of authentic mānuka honey. With the UMF™ rating, you can confidently choose the right option for you when investing in your health and wellness.

Interactive Tool

Four Factor Quality Assurance Test

Real New Zealand mānuka honey contains over 2,000 unique components that contribute to its complex flavour, texture and its sought after health food status. The UMF™ Four Factor Quality Assurance Test assures the Potency, Authenticity, Shelf Life, and Freshness of honest mānuka honey and verifies the genuine UMF™ number of each batch.

UMF™ 5+

UMF™ 10+

UMF™ 15+

UMF™ 20+

UMF™ 25+

Choose 5+ to 10+ when

You are looking for a natural sweetener that supports a healthy lifestyle.

Choose 15+ to 20+ when

You are looking for a more potent product to support everyday health and wellness.

Choose 25+ when

You are looking for a higher level of potency with additional nutritional support.

UMF™ 4 Factor Test
MGO
Leptosperin
DHA
HMF
Standard
Purpose
MGO
83 261 512 826 1197

mg

/kg

Potency
Leptosperin
>100 >150 >200 >200 >200

mg

/kg

Authenticity
DHA
150 250 400 500 500

mg

/kg

Shelf life
HMF
<40 <40 <40 <40 <40

mg

/kg

Freshness

New Zealand Mānuka Honey

For almost a thousand years, the mānuka tree has been part of Māori healing traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand. In the last 25 years that researchers have truly begun to understand the benefits of one of the mānuka tree’s greatest gifts: mānuka honey.

The Unique Mānuka Factors in pure New Zealand mānuka honey stem from the unusual structure of the mānuka flower that produces the unique nectar at the heart of New Zealand mānuka honey. Continuing extensive international research is focused on the honey’s benefits, its incredible range of natural components, and understanding New Zealand’s unique mānuka tree and exceptional nectar.

Today, mānuka honey is used and enjoyed around the world for its exceptional natural health food properties.

Find UMF™ Brands and License Holders

Only beekeepers, processors, marketers and exporters who meet our strict standards for purity, potency and quality are licensed to use the UMF™ quality mark and rating.

Research

Decades of research from scientists around the world have begun to uncover the signature compounds, mechanisms, and benefits that make genuine New Zealand mānuka honey truly unique.  In addition, researchers are starting to unravel the special characteristics of the mānuka tree that have made it a critical ingredient to health in New Zealand-Aotearoa for many centuries.

Explore defining research and the people behind this work from New Zealand, Japan, Germany, England, Wales and beyond.

Featured Research

The super-food Manuka honey, a comprehensive review of its analysis and authenticity approaches

In vivo absorption and metabolism of leptosperin and methyl syringate, abundantly present in manuka honey.

Nectary photosynthesis contributes to the production of mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) floral nectar

Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association

Since beekeepers initiated the research that founded the mānuka honey industry in 1998, the UMFHA’s mission has been to enhance mānuka honey standards and expand the understanding of this complex natural product. We ensure that consumers around the world can easily identify mānuka honey products that meet the rigid UMF™ quality standards, protecting the unique qualities essential to mānuka as a potent natural health food.

As an independent body, we oversee the application of standards, provide support to licensees and consumers, support research and science into mānuka, and protect the integrity of mānuka both in New Zealand and across the world.

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