Quality and Testing
QUALITY AND TESTING
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET...
For all those who know Paul and Sheryl, they will say, ‘What you see is what you get!’
There is nothing hidden…sometimes we think there should be, but when it comes to our business we know that it’s the only way to go. Consumers have an absolute right to know everything about the food they consume from the farmers or beekeepers in this case who produced it and all other information necessary so an informed decision can be made.
We know our honey and we want you to know it too!
Exceeding NZ export requirements...
As the world’s finest Manuka Honey brand, Steens has always been committed to providing assurances to global customers of purity, safety and authenticity.
All of the honey we pack into pots exceeds the New Zealand Government export testing requirements. This is because in addition to testing our honey under the Government's Ministry for Primary Industry (MPI) Guidelines, we also test our honey under the UMF® Grading system. This independent test exceeds NZ Government Export standards and is the most stringent test for Manuka honey globally.
This sets the bar extremely high - but we believe this is critical to our business and is vital to ensure trust when purchasing Steens Honey. It is estimated that up to 80% of all honey labelled as Manuka honey is not legitimate Manuka.
MPI export testing - Manuka Honey Definition
All honey packed in New Zealand as Manuka for export must be tested by a New Zealand government MPI-recognised laboratory to make sure it meets the Manuka honey definition prescribed by the NZ government.
The Manuka honey definition test is made up of a combination of 5 attributes (4 chemical markers from nectar and 1 DNA marker from the Manuka pollen found in the honey).
This test allows the industry to separate Manuka honey from other honey types and identify it as either monofloral or multifloral Manuka honey. Currently the MPI regulations are such that this definition only applies to honey packed and exported in consumer packaging from New Zealand. This means that honey sold domestically within New Zealand does not yet need to meet the definition.
Find out more by visiting MPI’s website
Or view the MPI Manuka Honey infographic
UMF® graded Honey
The UMF® trademark is a quality trademark that is internationally verified and recognised. It is backed by an industry quality standard, independent audits and a network of accredited laboratories around the world.
You can be sure that you are buying the best quality Manuka honey and your rights as a consumer are protected. To ensure your Manuka Honey is genuine, look for UMF® (Unique Manuka Factor) on the label.
UMF® grading tests for 4 markers in Manuka including...
- Methlglyoxal (MGO) - MGO stands for methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring compound that makes Manuka honey so special
- Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) - a precursor chemical of MGO, is found in the nectar of Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka) in New Zealand. The DHA levels are often still relatively high in freshly harvested honey. Over a period of time, the DHA will convert to MGO in the honey, through a natural chemical process
- Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) - this is a test to ensure the honey has not been heated excessively
- Leptosperin - a unique marker only found in New Zealand Manuka honey
MPI RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME (RMP)
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a preventative Food Safety System in which every step in the manufacture, storage and distribution of a food product is scientifically analysed for microbiological, physical and chemical hazards. Potential hazards are identified and appropriate control measures are taken before any problems can occur. Steens is certified under the HACCP principals overseen by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a preventative Food Safety System in which every step in the manufacture, storage and distribution of a food product is scientifically analysed for microbiological, physical and chemical hazards. Potential hazards are identified and appropriate control measures are taken before any problems can occur. Steens is certified under the HACCP principals overseen by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
CERTIFIED UMF
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
To ensure your Manuka Honey is genuine, look for the UMF logo (Unique Manuka Factor ) on the label. It is estimated that up to 80% of all honey labelled as Manuka honey is not legitimate Manuka.
UMF® grading tests for 4 markers in Manuka including Methylglyoxal, NPA & Leptosperin. This is what gives Manuka honey its unique properties.
The higher the UMF® number, the purer the Manuka properties.
Steens Mānuka Honey is all independently tested and certified.
Anything labelled ‘Active’ or 'Total Activity’ is not permitted under NZ Government labelling guidelines, and only measures for Peroxide Activity, which is found in all honey and breaks down quickly with heat and time.
You can find the testing certificates for your Steens honey by entering your batch number or trace code (found on the back of the jar near the barcode) into our testing certificate finder.
TRUSTED
CERTIFIED GENUINE NEW ZEALAND Mānuka HONEY
All Steens Raw Mānuka Honey is independently tested for purity and certified for authenticity under the strict New Zealand Government guidelines. We have been beekeeping for over 40 years and are proudly:
- Certified Glyphosate Free
- UMF Certified
- Non-GMO Certified
- NZ Fernmark Licensed
Our honey contains up to 15 times more bio-available bee bread and pollen than any other well known Mānuka Honey brand due to our unique harvesting and packing methods.
WHAT IS
ACTIVE Mānuka HONEY?
The name "Active" is used by many to refer to the ‘total peroxide activity’ which is enzyme-created hydrogen peroxide. This substance is not unique to Manuka and can be found in most honeys. This substance breaks down quickly during storage and therefore loses its effectiveness very quickly. The word "active" does not indicate the honey has the special unique ‘non-peroxide’ property, which is only found in Manuka honey.
There is no independent auditing and monitoring of honey called ‘active Manuka’ honey nor of honey labelled ‘Manuka’ honey other than that labelled with the UMF® trade mark. In fact the New Zealand Government has banned the use of the active grading system as they have said it is misleading. Unfortunately however ‘Manuka’ that is packed in overseas markets can still be labelled this way, which creates confusion for consumers.
WHAT IS
UMF CERTIFIED?
UMF® is a quality trademark and grading system that guarantees the purity of the Manuka honey you are buying.
It uses the most comprehensive and transparent test currently available for Manuka honey. It appraises a number of natural markers found in Manuka Honey to assure its purity and quality.
In order to be certified UMF®, Steens tests for Manuka markers across 4 different spectrums,including the recently discovered Leptosperin marker – (which is unique to Manuka) - as well as other compounds such as Methylglyoxal (MGO). Other competing grading systems only test for one marker (MGO) as their reference point for grading.
Unfortunately MGO can be adulterated and can be found in other honeys. Therefore MGO is not a good test for Manuka purity, as evidenced in a landmark case in 2016.
Leptosperin is an abundant, stable and scientifically researched marker that is unique to Manuka honey in New Zealand. Steens - as part of the UMF® association, has the rights to test exclusively for this key characteristic of Manuka honey.
This clearly differentiates UMF® graded honey as a truly genuine Manuka honey - a claim that other grading systems cannot make.
CHECKLIST
HOW TO IDENTIFY GENUINE UMF MANUKA HONEY
Genuine UMF® Manuka honey must comply with all six of the following criteria:
It has the UMF® quality trademark clearly stated on the label
It is packed into jars and labelled in New Zealand, before it is sent offshore.
It is from a New Zealand company licensed to use the quality trademark UMF®
It has the UMF® licensee's brand name and licence number on the label
It has a rating number alongside the trademark UMF® - a number on its own or without the trademark UMF® logo does not identify genuine UMF® Manuka Honey
It must have a minimum level of Leptosperin & MGO to be graded UMF®
GRADING
WHY CAN ONLY SOME Mānuka HONEY BE CERTIFIED UMF®?
Unfortunately a lot of ‘Manuka’ honey being sold internationally is not legitimate Manuka honey. It is in fact low strength Manuka blended with other honey types such as Kanuka.
Kanuka is a plant that is prevalent in the South Island of New Zealand and it looks identical to the Manuka tree. It flowers at approximately the same time as the Manuka bush in New Zealand and is often mistaken as Manuka for these reasons. Unfortunately Kanuka does not contain DHA, Methylglyoxal or Leptosperin, which are the key components that give Manuka its unique properties.
Even with Manuka that is harvested from legitimate Manuka sites, the concentration of these properties can vary from batch to batch.
UMF® grade Manuka honey is graded to ensure that all of these marker levels meet set criteria for each grade
WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?
HOW THE UMF® NUMBER TRANSLATES INTO MGO
To receive a UMF® grading, a honey must have the presence of DHA (dihydroxyacetone), Methylglyoxal and Leptosperin. The UMF® rating is a measure of the attributes and values that make up Manuka honey and assures purity & quality.
