What is MGO?
A. Manuka Health is a NZ based company that use their own Manuka measurement. MGO stands for Methylglyoxal. Manuka Health have trademarked the term MGO, so effectively any other company looking to use it would have to pay for the rights. This rating was developed by Manuka Health’s research partner, research group leader Professor Thomas Henle, University of Dresden (Germany). Dr Peter Molan, who discovered the unique antibacterial effect of Manuka honey, explains his thoughts: “It is now known that this unique antibacterial activity is due to the combined action of methylglyoxal (MGO) and an unidentified synergistic component(s). Although very low levels of MGO are found in most honey, the high level of MGO in Manuka honey is unique, as is the presence of the synergist which more than doubles the antibacterial activity of MGO.” So effectively these are both measurements of the antibacterial effect of Manuka; however the MGO looks to only take into account one part of the equation.
