Manuka and Methylglyoxal
Manuka has topical anti-bacterial activity, as does any honey with low water content. Bacteria and fungi cannot grow in high sugar concentrations. IminoHoney is 15% water content and so also topically inhibits microbial growth. Manuka has failed to prove any microbial benefit when eaten or to identify any particular active molecule that can be measured except for methylglyoxal, a reactive carbonyl compound widely present in thermally processed foods, is produced from sugar degradation and lipid oxidation. Methylglyoxal can yield various aroma compounds by reacting with amino acids and act as a precursor to generate toxins, including advanced glycation end products, acrylamide and 4(5)-methylimidazole (Jie Zheng et al., 2021). Fortunately, IminoHoney has low methylglyoxal (<50mg/kg).
While various Manuka products claim immune support, there seems no scientific evidence to support this claim when eaten. The problem for Manuka is it is not possible to reliably screen a honey with isolated immune cells to prove an activity due to non-specific surface effects on the cells including by polysaccharides and proteins. IminoHoney is unique in that the immunologically active molecule was found first by our research team in a plant and then by serendipity found in the rare honey (patent Immunomodulatory compositions 20070155814). The compound Iminose A is a small sugar-like molecule that is very stable in the honey and body and has not shown any adverse reactions in pharmaceutical assays in pure form. It rapidly enters the blood stream and is circulated around the body where it interacts with immune cells before being excreted in urine unchanged eventually. It occurs in no other honey.
So if you want proven science and some facts try IminoHoney!
Jie Zheng, Hongyang Guo, Juanying Ou, Pangzhan Liu, Caihuan Huang, Mingfu Wang, Jesus Simal-Gandara, Maurizio Battino, Seid Mahdi Jafari, Liang Zou, Shiyi Ou, Jianbo Xiao,
Benefits, deleterious effects and mitigation of methylglyoxal in foods: A critical review,
Trends in Food Science & Technology (2021), 107, pp. 201-212.