In the height of summer here, the nectar secretion from Manuka trees has gradually nearing its final stage, and  many frames filled with honey that are completely capped. (sealed with wax by the bees after moisture removal)  The honey has nearly reached  full maturity. Many beekeepers have already finished harvesting and extracting honey, storing it in large containers. However, I haven’t done that yet. The honey still needs further maturation, and rushing to remove it from the hive isn’t ideal.  Keeping honey in the natural hive environment is best, especially to maximize the activity of methylglyoxal (MGO), the unique component  of Manuka honey, which requires a certain amount of time.

I believe that keeping the honey within the hive environment for a certain period is the best way to allow dihydroxyacetone (DHA),  the precursor to MGO in manuka nectar, to gradually transform into MGO. Typically, commercial producers focused on high-volume production don’t apply this level of care. They harvest mixed honey, which  includes manuka, kanuka, and clover, then submit it to laboratories for analysis. Once they obtain a numerical result for active compounds,  they go straight to product commercialization. Such an approach makes it impossible to achieve a high-activity product.  It’s easier and more productive that way.  As long as they make a profit, they seem uninterested in going beyond that. This attitude is especially prevalent among large-scale beekeepers. In contrast, many small-scale beekeepers tend to approach their work with a more artisan-like mindset.  In the future, I hope to form a group of such beekeepers to focus on improving quality, clearly setting our products apart from those of large-scale producers.