(Continuing from the previous blog) When it goes this far, this is no longer honey. True raw honey contains many enzymes and is rich in impurities. It also includes  a significant amount of pollen collected from a variety of flowers during foraging, which adds the essence of multiple blooms. These elements  are rich in various amino acids, which are crucial for the human body since proteins are composed of amino acid chains. Additionally, raw honey is abundant in minerals. In my apiary, even after the frames are fully capped, I continue to manage them by leaving them with the bees for a while.

This is because I expect the activity of methylglyoxal (MGO), a unique component of Manuka honey, to enhance under the conditions  within the hive. While I can’t go into further detail as it is trade secrets, it’s important to note that MGO does not originally  exist in Manuka nectar; it is a derivative of its precursor, dihydroxyacetone. Therefore, our honey is fundamentally different from the supermarket varieties. When I began production here 23 years ago (in 1995),  a time when the name Manuka honey was virtually unknown in Japan, many customers who only knew supermarket honey tasted our  products and likely wondered, ‘What on earth have I been eating until now?’ In fact, I received such feedback quite frequently back then.