As many of us know, a unique feature of mānuka honey is how it changes over time. The mānuka 3-in-1 test is very much affected by these changes.

These days it’s common not only to receive test results for a honey sample, but also a forecast of how those results will change in future. Laboratories have developed mathematical models that forecast how 3-in-1 results for mānuka honey will change, usually based on the results of samples that have been stored in controlled conditions.

This article focuses on changes in honey following harvest, leading up until when the honey is processed into a packed product to be sold to end customers. In a future article, we will discuss the importance of the ratio of DHA (dihydroxyacetone) and MG (methylglyoxal) in honey as a way of quickly assessing mānuka honey