Benefits of "Active" Honey "Manuka" Leptospermum

[Bamboo]

Really interesting article on Leptospermum scoparia "Manuka" as it is known in New Zealand by Dr Peter Molan

https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/9553/WOUNDS_2015.pdf;sequence=1

There are 87 species of Leptospermum of which 84 are endemic to Australia. Many have the compound DHA (Dihydroxyacetone), honey derived from a Leptospermum with DHA, after optimum storage at 22 deg C then converts to MGO (Methylglyoxal) this takes between 12 and 18 months. This is the active ingredient in the honey that makes it so sought after.

L scopariam has levels of between 2000 and 3000 DHA, this is the common "Manuka" found in New Zealand and Tasmania. Other species such as L. polygalifolium have DHA levels of between 10,000 and 15,000 some others have even higher levels.

Simon Williams of Sunshine Coast University is doing his PhD on the above and has written up some interesting material so far, cataloging  species and their DHA levels around Australia.

[Skeggley]

How will he catalog their DHA levels if the honey isn't mono crop? And what will these honeys taste like?
Why are we still trying to copy the Kiwis when we have better honey than Manuka in our own backyard?
:don't know:

[eltalia]

How will he catalog their DHA levels if the honey isn't mono crop? And what will these honeys taste like?
Why are we still trying to copy the Kiwis when we have better honey than Manuka in our own backyard?
:don't know:

'Ere 'ere... and the crowd rose as one to clap and chant "encore encore".

Tis a small country with high imports... when they can convince the
numptys theirs is best good luck to 'em I say.

Bill

[Bamboo]

How will he catalog their DHA levels if the honey isn't mono crop? And what will these honeys taste like?
Why are we still trying to copy the Kiwis when we have better honey than Manuka in our own backyard?
:don't know:

The DHA level occurs in the nectar of the Leptospermum so by collecting the nectar you are able to test and find the level of DHA. Each species can then be verified as to it's own DHA level. He is not testing honey just the nectar from the plant. The DHA then converts to MGO this is the "active " ingredient that is so important. I am not saying to try and copy  KIWIs, as that boat has already sailed. NZ has already trademarked "Manuka" honey. What I am saying is that there is an opportunity for Aussie beekeepers to market honey that has far higher MGO than Manuka will ever have. Manuka 500 MGO  sells for up to $200 for a 500gm jar. Show me an Aussie honey that is anywhere near that return!! I plan on planting a hectare of L. polygalifolium so will know that it is pretty much a mono floral, even if the girls do stray the DHA test will be the deciding factor not the floral source.

'Ere 'ere... and the crowd rose as one to clap and chant "encore encore".

Tis a small country with high imports... when they can convince the
numptys theirs is best good luck to 'em I say.

Yes Bill you are quite right NZ is a small country but their marketing people have convinced enough "Numptys" that their honey is the best, so much so that NZ is second only to China in USD exports in the year ending 2016. $200 million in fact. China was $270 million. Australia??? well they didn't even make the top 15. !5th spot was held by Romania at $41 million. Chinese "honey" has been banned from the USA as it was found to, a) contain contaminants and b) wasn't honey it was corn syrup. (Maybe those Chinese Beeks haven't been listening to your thoughts on feeding bees Bill  ). One survey of US supermarkets found that 75% of "honey" was not honey.  A large Australian company imports honey from China which I personally find somewhat concerning as no mention on packaging that it is not in fact "Australian " honey.

My real point is that I see a massive opportunity for Australian Beeks, will they take advantage of this opportunity or whinge about who's honey is better? NZ has got a massive head start but that shouldn't stop beeks seeing the opportunity but will they? I suspect not but I will sell and market my super honey to all the Aussies who want the Australian honey with the amazing health benefits for somewhat more $ than can be achieved by any floral honey.

[Skeggley]

I see that makes sense that the nectar is tested, does that make the nectar as potent as the bees finished product?
And what about Jarrah honey? Because it's measured in TA it's not comparable medicinally?

[Bamboo]

Well Yes and no. What it means is that the higher the DHA initially then the higher the MGO in the"ripened" honey Most honeys reach their peak value in 12 to 18mths with proper storage at 22C.
It is estimated that the honey will lose 40% of it's DHA over a year and of that 40% converts to MGO so the formula is:

Projected MGO= initial MGO +(0.16 x initial DHA).

Generally it can be said that once the MGO reaches half the initial DHA after that it begins to decline due to the breakdown in MGO. So a rough and ready guide would be if you started with a DHA of 10,000 then you could expect an MGO level of 5,000.

This way and above anything that is on the market at the moment.

Re Jarra and TA levels, similar sort of thing, TA is Total Activity but is a little different to Lepto honeys as the active ingredient is Hydrogen peroxide which is a antifungicide and antibacterial whereas Lepto  is methylglyyoxal and they work in slightly different ways. There is a paper from 2002 on Jarra and TA levels
https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/pubns/39/

I find it really interesting delving into "Why honey is good for you" other than the centuries of anecdotal eveidence of "It just works". Our forebears didn't have the knowledge or the labs that could prove why it was good for us and now we do and can confidently go our  consumers with evidence of why the should be buying our honey and not the "sugar" that is passed off as honey in the supermarket.
Cheers
Mark

[eltalia]

@Bamboo

Evenin' Mark... I do believe you may have found your niche.
I and many others I note all over know little to nought on the topic.
Honey for me has always been a problem, a bugbear if you like.
Too little, bees got problems. Too much bees still got problems.
I've fed the stuff to pigs an' poddy calves, sold drums(44gal) of it
to brokers - no doubt ending up under Cap1lano label with the
freckle fried out of it - and always kept for home consumption the
best I like, but how much can a family eat in any year?
Not near enough to even keep up to a single colony.

Sooo.. forgive my fencesitting bystander interest, please :-))

Bill

[Bamboo]

@eltalia
Morning Bill

Will keep you informed about the Lepto venture. Lots to do as the bottom paddock is waist high in grass at the moment and lots of dead and non productive custard apple trees that need removing before I can plant. Finally we have had some fine weather over the past week and the top part of the property was dry so did lots of mowing and then had the thought that I should slash the bottom paddock...stupid thought!... managed to get the tractor bogged, well and truly! Then had the neighbour come over and basically tell me I was an idiot for trying to mow as it was too wet and I was just making a mess of the place and he didn't like it cos he has to look at it. Well I am not the calmest person when I know I have stuffed up and am trying to think how the heck I am going to rectify the situation so I told him to F off it was my land and I could do what I like. Wouldn't have minded if he had turned up with "Mate how can I help? I can tow you with my tractor" but all he wanted to do was tell me I was an idiot. I already knew that and I hate it when people tell me what I already know

Hopefully the sane neighbours have a tractor and are willing to help an idiot.
Will take pics of the project as we go. I am always amazed when you do any sort of project how quickly you forget what it looked like before you started.
Cheers
Mark

[Acebird]

always kept for home consumption the
best I like, but how much can a family eat in any year?

If you add water you can drink three hives worth maybe all by yourself.

[Bamboo]

always kept for home consumption the
best I like, but how much can a family eat in any year?

If you add water you can drink three hives worth maybe all by yourself.

So I imagine that would be after a little fermentation as well? 

[Acebird]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that.

[eltalia]

@eltalia
Morning Bill

Will keep you informed about the Lepto venture. Lots to do as the bottom paddock is waist high in grass at the moment and lots of dead and non productive custard apple trees that need removing before I can plant. Finally we have had some fine weather over the past week and the top part of the property was dry so did lots of mowing and then had the thought that I should slash the bottom paddock...stupid thought!... managed to get the tractor bogged, well and truly! Then had the neighbour come over and basically tell me I was an idiot for trying to mow as it was too wet and I was just making a mess of the place and he didn't like it cos he has to look at it. Well I am not the calmest person when I know I have stuffed up and am trying to think how the heck I am going to rectify the situation so I told him to F off it was my land and I could do what I like. Wouldn't have minded if he had turned up with "Mate how can I help? I can tow you with my tractor" but all he wanted to do was tell me I was an idiot. I already knew that and I hate it when people tell me what I already know

Hopefully the sane neighbours have a tractor and are willing to help an idiot.
Will take pics of the project as we go. I am always amazed when you do any sort of project how quickly you forget what it looked like before you started.
Cheers
Mark

Heh heh... you are pulling them out and here I am doing seed propagation
of them, custard apples! :-)))
Be carefull of what you wish for with neighbours, especially those of "I know better"
disposition.
True story, not mine but a friends;
Fella had a cow down in the dam, bogged solid and no way to get it out quick
through a comedy of unfortunate circumstance. So he phones the neighbour
for a lend of the Fergy. Helpfull Harry says "I am just up the road a bit working,
I'll come over" and turns up with his 250HP 4X4 Case, set of disc harrows behind.
"Just chuck a chain on her and shackle it to the bar on the harrow, she'll be right".
"Yer reckon? That's some tractor for a cow stuck".
"Nah maaate, she'll be right, autotrans, good as gold"
"Uh... okay" (scratching head on computer driven tractors has no clue).

Wading the chain through the mud, cow duly swathed in chain, the chain hooked to
the harrows it goes like;
"Yer got the shackle done?"
"Yep, take her up (tension)"
"Right, stand back a bit, the harrow might swing"
"Okay.. no worries, gun it"

And ,, Bang! the harrow swings, the neighbour declutches and
engages 250 HP in 4X4 with more gusto than the result shows was needed.
The cows head flies past the owner!
"Sh...t, sorry mate, slipped!"

Self sufficiency often does require a few "F 0" (s) as part of bush diplomacy.. heh heh

Bill

[Acebird]

Bill, I am sure you would make a fantastic comedian  but I will be dipped in poop if I could figure out the punch line.

[Bamboo]

Bill, I am sure you would make a fantastic comedian  but I will be dipped in poop if I could figure out the punch line.

Brian
What part don't you get? The cows head detaching from the body or the bush diplomacy??
Sort of story that is black humour and tragic at the same time.
We obviously do things differently here! I think it is probably a New Zealand and Aussie humour which is a little different to US humour.
Cheers

[Bamboo]

@eltalia
Mate that is so funny, can just picture it. Just hope it wasn't one of his stud breeders!

The outcome of the bogged tractor had a happy ending.
After giving the neighbour a serve and a half I felt bad about it cos I was just more angry at myself so went over the next day and apologized.
Next thing I know he turns up at the door with a 4 wheel drive saying let's see if we can get this thing out.
Couple of pulls and we are back on dry land and I continue mowing........well away from the boggy stuff.
So all's well that ends well.

Yeah crazy world me pulling out Annona squamosa and you trying to grow them. Do you want some cuttings? I am sure I could get them up to you.
Let me know.
Cheers
Mark

[eltalia]

@eltalia
Mate that is so funny, can just picture it. Just hope it wasn't one of his stud breeders!

The outcome of the bogged tractor had a happy ending.
After giving the neighbour a serve and a half I felt bad about it cos I was just more angry at myself so went over the next day and apologized.
Next thing I know he turns up at the door with a 4 wheel drive saying let's see if we can get this thing out.
Couple of pulls and we are back on dry land and I continue mowing........well away from the boggy stuff.
So all's well that ends well.

Yeah crazy world me pulling out Annona squamosa and you trying to grow them. Do you want some cuttings? I am sure I could get them up to you.
Let me know.
Cheers
Mark

I relocated a few years ago Mark, from one rural to another, entirely different
disciplines of farming and so there is a "breaking in" period.
And thanks Mark I am only doing a half dozen trees, all now 600mm and ready
to install. They are strictly  bird feed as the figbirds and bower birds love the fruit,
albeit one has to be up early to see them squabble over the meal ;-)))

And yep, not prize herd he runs but milkers, so there would be a loss.
Like most around here though it is a shrug and get on with it type thing.
"Shite happens on big projects" kinda thinking ;-)))

Bill