What is the Difference Between MGO and UMF

The main difference between MGO and UMF is that MGO measures the methylglyoxal element and its potency in the manuka honey whereas UMF measures three chemical compounds in manuka honey – dihydroxyacetone (DHA), leptosperin, and methylglyoxal. Furthermore, UMF is an indicator of purity and quality of honey. Therefore, UMF is better than MGO.

Generally, manuka honey is a special type of honey produced in Australia and New Zealand by bees that pollinate the manuka flower, which is native to certain areas of New Zealand. MGO and UMF are two measurements of the quality of manuka honey. 

Key Areas Covered

1. What is MGO
     – Definition, Parameters, Importance
2. What is UMF
     – Definition, Parameters, Importance
3. What are the Similarities Between MGO and UMF
     – Outline of Common features
4. What is the Difference Between MGO and UMF
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), MGO, Leptosperin, Manuka Honey, Methylglyoxal, UMF

What is MGO

MGO is a grading system for manuka honey, measuring the methylglyoxal (MGO) content in the manuka honey. Higher the content of methylglyoxal in manuka honey, better the quality and purity of the honey. Generally, manuka honey is made in Australia and New Zealand by bees that pollinate the native manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium). 

Figure 1: Manuka Bush

It is useful in treating wound infections and other conditions. Especially, the active ingredient responsible for the unique antibacterial property of manuka honey is methylglyoxal.

What is UMF

UMF or ‘unique manuka factor’ is another grading system for manuka honey developed by the UMF Honey Association in New Zealand. It refers to the NPA in honey. Generally, manuka honey with NPA or non-peroxide activity is considered as high-grade honey when compared to manuka honey which comes with the total activity or peroxide activity. Honey with NPA from 5 to 9.9 are labelled as UMF 5+; honey with NPA ratings from 10.0 to 14.9 are rated as UMF 10+, and so on. Moreover, manuka honey ranging from 10 to 25 is considered as higher in the ratings and this type of honey is more potent as well as expensive.

Figure 2: Manuka Honey with UMF 15+

Furthermore, UMF is the measurement used to authenticate honey as manuka. Therefore, in UMF, other markers including dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and leptosperin content in the honey are measured in addition to methylglyoxal content. Also, UMF 5+ manuka honey has an MGO rating of 83+, UMF 10+ manuka honey has an MGO rating of 263+, and so on. Here, the MGO values are measured as mg/kg (ppm) while VPA is measured as % solution (%w/v) of phenol/water.

Similarities Between MGO and UMF

• MGO and UMF are two types of measurements of the quality and purity of the manuka honey.
• Both MGO and UMF serve as trusted manuka honey grading systems. Therefore, manuka honey with MGO and UMF is considered as high-grade honey.
• Furthermore, both measure methylglyoxal content in manuka honey.
• Methylglyoxal is the compound that makes manuka honey special.

Difference Between MGO and UMF

Definition

MGO refers to methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring compound that makes Manuka honey so special while UMF refers to the ‘unique manuka factor’ and is a grading system developed by the UMF Honey Association in New Zealand.

Types of Compounds Measured

The main difference between MGO and UMF is that while MGO tests the methylglyoxal content in manuka honey, UMF measures dihydroxyacetone (DHA), leptosperin, and methylglyoxal in manuka honey.

Authentication

Furthermore, MGO alone is not enough to authenticate manuka honey while UMF is used to authenticate manuka honey. Hence, this is an important difference between MGO and UMF.

Importance

Also, another important difference between MGO and UMF is that MGO value is associated with the quality of the manuka honey while UMF value is associated with both quality and purity of manuka honey.

Conclusion

MGO is a grading system for manuka honey based on the methylglyoxal content of the honey product. Methylglyoxal is the main compound found in manuka honey, making it a special type of honey. In comparison, UMF is another grading systems for manuka honey, measuring three components of manuka honey. They are dihydroxyacetone (DHA), leptosperin, and methylglyoxal. Therefore, the UMF system measures both quality and the purity of manuka honey. Thus, the main difference between MGO and UMF is the types of components measured and their importance.

References:

1. “I Want to Buy Manuka Honey. What Is UMF 16, MGO 400, Active?” Discover the Benefits of Honey, 7 Feb. 2019, Available Here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Leptospermum scoparium 11zz” By Photo by David J. Stang – source: David Stang. First published at ZipcodeZoo.com (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia  
2. “Manuka Honey” By Ryan Merce (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr