Hamilton's SummerGlow Apiaries To Attend UMF Association Science Symposium
Waikato Manuka honey producers SummerGlow Apiaries of Te Kowhai, Hamilton, are excited to be attending an upcoming science symposium held by the UMF Honey Association ‘This is Manuka Honey’.
The symposium will be held at Auckland Museum on 9 August 2016 and is the culmination of four years of research focused on applying the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) quality mark to Manuka honey.
The UMF Association has worked with teams of scientists in New Zealand, UK, China, Japan, Australia and Germany to test samples of honey and nectar from the flowers of Manuka, Kanuka, Kamahi and Rewarewa, using mass spectrometry analysis to identify the unique chemical fingerprint of each floral type.
James Jeffery, co-owner and director of SummerGlow Apiaries, says the symposium signposts an exciting moment for the UMF Association and for SummerGlow Apiaries.
“It’s one of those pivotal moments in the UMF Association history,” says Mr Jeffery,” and it reinforces what we’ve been doing all along, from day one, as the first ever licensees of the UMF Association.
“It’s a completely scientific, robust, can’t-be-questioned method of analysing and finally saying “this is Manuka Honey.” That’s why they’ve gone with the title, ‘This is Manuka Honey’.
“With the release of all that information, it brings to a conclusion the project they undertook four years ago.”
Mr Jeffery says it’s now time for the rest of the honey industry to take notice of what the UMF Association has achieved.
“We’re telling our customers, this is how we can prove to you it’s genuine Manuka Honey. Now it’s up to the rest of the industry to either buy into it or come up with a way of reassuring their own customers that they can do the same.”
“We’d be proud to offer that level of confidence to our customers.”
The symposium will be held at Auckland Museum on 9 August 2016 and is the culmination of four years of research focused on applying the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) quality mark to Manuka honey.
The UMF Association has worked with teams of scientists in New Zealand, UK, China, Japan, Australia and Germany to test samples of honey and nectar from the flowers of Manuka, Kanuka, Kamahi and Rewarewa, using mass spectrometry analysis to identify the unique chemical fingerprint of each floral type.
James Jeffery, co-owner and director of SummerGlow Apiaries, says the symposium signposts an exciting moment for the UMF Association and for SummerGlow Apiaries.
“It’s one of those pivotal moments in the UMF Association history,” says Mr Jeffery,” and it reinforces what we’ve been doing all along, from day one, as the first ever licensees of the UMF Association.
“It’s a completely scientific, robust, can’t-be-questioned method of analysing and finally saying “this is Manuka Honey.” That’s why they’ve gone with the title, ‘This is Manuka Honey’.
“With the release of all that information, it brings to a conclusion the project they undertook four years ago.”
Mr Jeffery says it’s now time for the rest of the honey industry to take notice of what the UMF Association has achieved.
“We’re telling our customers, this is how we can prove to you it’s genuine Manuka Honey. Now it’s up to the rest of the industry to either buy into it or come up with a way of reassuring their own customers that they can do the same.”
“We’d be proud to offer that level of confidence to our customers.”
