Tasmanian Honey Producers Seek to Tap Medicinal Honey Market

Beyond Toast and Tea
By Eliza Wood, ABC, 1/13/2011

Tasmanian honey producers are hoping to tap the overseas medicinal honey market with the formation of an 'active honey' group.

Science continues to back up the argument that honey can be used for more things than just toast and tea.

The Tasmanian Active Honey Group initially includes six businesses, and they'll have to adhere to certain standards if they're to market under the organisation.

Manuka or tea tree honey has antibacterial qualities, and it's also been found recently that leatherwood is one of the highest antioxidant honeys in the world.

Nicola Charles from Blue Hills Honey at Mawbanna in the state's north west says these honeys have long been sold for food, but not often for medicine.

"[In south east Asian markets] they actually look at honey as a medicinal product, they don't see it as a food…