New Zealand Developing "Chemical Fingerprint" for Manuka Honey

Manuka honey producers enlist scientists to help in fight against fraudsters in multi-million-dollar industry

ABC, 3/6/2015

Manuka honey producers in New Zealand have enlisted an Australian scientist to help protect their multi-million-dollar export business from counterfeiters.

The insatiable global appetite for the anti-bacterial honey has driven up prices and attracted fraudsters like bees to a honey pot.

"It's massive overseas in that there's probably two or three times more manuka honey being sold in international markets than is actually being produced here in New Zealand," University of the Sunshine Coast senior chemistry lecturer Dr Peter Brooks said.

"So it's a case of someone taking a $5 honey and selling it then for $50 saying that it's a manuka."

Dr Brooks and New Zealand scientist Terry Braggins were commissioned by New Zealand's Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association to develop a "chemical fingerprint" for manuka honey...