How does the antibacterial
activity work in Manuka Honey?
The antibacterial activity in Manuka Honey is due to four major
processes or qualities: the osmotic effect, the acidity of honey, the
production of hydrogen peroxide in honey and the phytochemical factor.
1. The Osmotic Effect: Honey consists of 84% fructose and glucose and
15-21% water. The sugar molecules and the water molecules interact
strongly. When the sugar content of honey is high and the moisture
content (water) is low, bacteria can not grow in honey. Bacteria thrive
in honey that has been either pasteurized or diluted with water, such as
imported Chinese Honey, typically used in US bakeries as sugar coating.
2. Acidity: Honey has a pH between 3.2 and 4.5 and is considered quite
acidic. The acidity inhibits the growth of bacteria. The optimum pH for
bacterial growth lies between 7.2 and 7.4. However, if honey is diluted,
the pH could become higher, and therefore the antibacterial quality of
honey would be destroyed. Paradoxically, dilution is what is needed in
order to support the production of the next important antibacterial
component in honey: hydrogen peroxide.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide: This antibacterial component is encymically
produced in honey through dilution. Hydrogen peroxide is considered to
be the most important antibacterial component of honey. The
concentration of hydrogen peroxide in honey is low enough not to
inflammate a wound or damage the tissue.
4. Phytochemical Factors: Besides honey's strongest anti-bacterial
component (hydrogen peroxide), honey also contains some minor chemical
factors of that quality. Exactly here lies the difference between the
antibacterial qualities of Manuka Honey and regular honey!
Manuka Honey from New Zealand has shown to have a unique phytochemical
factor. What exactly the factor is has still not been identified yet.
The factor was discovered 20 years ago by Prof. Dr. Peter Molan, Senior
Lecturer Biochemistry at the Waikato University in New Zealand. Dr.
Molan removed the hydrogen peroxide from Manuka Honey and could still
observe a high antibacterial activity. In fact, hydrogen peroxide and
the special antibacterial factor in Manuka Honey enhance each other's
power through a synergetic effect. Manuka Honey is considered the most
unique honey in the world today, because of its unique medicinal
properties. The special antibacterial factor is also very stable:
hydrogen peroxide, which most honeys contain, is easily destroyed by
heat, light, water or the catalase effect of the body serum. The unique
manuka factor (UMF), however stays in the honey and does not lose its
antibacterial strength.
Manuka Honey has medicinal qualities not found in other honeys. Manuka
Honey seems to have the ability to naturally destroy staph aureus and
streptococcus pyogenes. Staph and strep bacteria are typically
associated to the common cold, sore throat, strep throat and
tonsillitis.
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