Test results for freshly extracted honey samples from the past two seasons were analysed to identify trends relating to the level of non-peroxide activity (NPA), commonly associated with mānuka honey.

Overall, NPA was slightly higher in honeys tested this season, and honeys in the NPA 5+ and 10+ categories had the greatest potential for growth with 8–10 times more dihydroxyacetone (DHA) than methylglyoxal oxidase (MGO).

This article is the first in a two-part series sharing information about the honey that has been tested for the common mānuka tests at Analytica Laboratories so far this season. Introduction As we near the end of the 2019/20 honey extraction season, many of the freshly extracted honeys around the country have been subsampled and tested.

One of the main tests of interest for mānuka honey is the 3-in-1 test. Beekeepers eagerly await these test results to see what the grade of their mānuka crop is for the season.