Methylglyoxal (MGO): What It Is and Why UMF™ 25+ Is So Rare

Methylglyoxal, usually shortened to MGO, is the natural compound behind the MGO and UMF™ numbers you see on a jar of mānuka honey. Here is what it is, how it forms, and what a grade like UMF™ 25+ (MGO 1200+) tells you.

What is methylglyoxal?

Methylglyoxal is found in small amounts in many foods. In mānuka honey it is found at much higher levels. It forms slowly as the honey matures, from DHA (dihydroxyacetone) in the nectar of mānuka flowers. That is why freshly harvested mānuka honey is tested again over time, and why the MGO level is a key part of its grade.

How MGO and UMF™ grades work

MGO is measured in a laboratory in milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). MGO 1200+ means at least 1200 mg of methylglyoxal in every kilogram of honey. UMF™ (Unique Mānuka Factor) is New Zealand's independent grading system. It looks at MGO together with leptosperin, a marker that shows the honey is genuine mānuka, and DHA. For a full explanation, read Understanding MGO and UMF™ ratings.

Why UMF™ 25+ is so rare

Only a small share of each season's mānuka harvest reaches UMF™ 25+ (MGO 1200+). It depends on the flowers, the weather, the bees and the land in that year. The honey is deeply rich and earthy, and many whānau keep it as a taonga (treasure) or give it as a koha (gift).

Shop the 25+ Luxury Gift · $349

Mānuka honey as rongoā

Whatever the grade, mānuka honey from the whenua (the land) is kai (food), and it has long been part of rongoā (traditional Māori healing). A spoonful may soothe the throat, comfort and nourish. You can read more in our plain-English guide to rongoā Māori. Honey sits alongside the care your GP recommends. It does not replace it.

If you have diabetes, watch your sugar or have a bee allergy, check with your GP first. Honey is not for babies under 12 months.

Which honey should I choose?

• Mānuka Honey 25+ UMF™ Luxury Gift Package, $349: our richest grade, hand-packed and blessed.
• Find your mānuka honey: every honey we have in stock, from everyday jars to gifts.

Shop the 25+ Luxury Gift · $349 Find your mānuka honey

Frequently asked questions

Does a higher MGO mean a better honey?
A higher MGO tells you about the honey's grade and rarity. Every grade is rongoā kai from the whenua, so choose by taste, occasion and budget. Please see your GP for any health concern.

Can MGO levels change over time?
Yes. MGO forms slowly as the honey matures, which is why grades are tested and certified.

From the whenua

Whenua Honey is a Māori-owned whānau (family) business on the East Coast of Aotearoa. Every jar is wild and sustainably harvested, hand-packed and blessed, and 5% of our profit goes back to the people and the whenua.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from your GP or other health professional.