UMF (Unique Manuka Factor)
A licensed, audited grading system for mānuka honey that tests four chemical markers plus authenticity, rather than methylglyoxal alone.
Definition
UMF is administered by a licensing body and tests methylglyoxal, dihydroxyacetone, leptosperin and hydroxymethylfurfural, together with authenticity checks. Because it is licensed and audited, a UMF number carries a traceable licence number that can be checked — which is the substantive difference from a bare MGO figure. As approximate correspondences, UMF 5+ is around MGO 83, UMF 10+ around MGO 263, UMF 15+ around MGO 514 and UMF 20+ around MGO 829.
Where the word gets used loosely
UMF is one system among several, and the others are not equivalent. 'Active', 'Bio Active', 'K Factor' and similar are proprietary or unspecified, and several certify nothing verifiable. Separately, New Zealand's government definition of mānuka — four chemical markers plus a mānuka DNA marker — is a floor that establishes the honey is mānuka, not a grade of strength; the two are often conflated on packaging.
See also
Other labelling terms
Sources
Sources
- UMF grading and the New Zealand manuka honey definition — UMF Honey Association / New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries · Industry body
How sources are selected and weighted is set out in the sources and evidence policy.