{"id":28882,"date":"2019-08-14T12:48:22","date_gmt":"2019-08-14T11:48:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/?page_id=28882"},"modified":"2026-02-18T15:27:54","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T14:27:54","slug":"scientists","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/en_za\/scientists\/","title":{"rendered":"The scientists behind MGO Manuka Honey"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"page-header-828411516\" class=\"page-header-wrapper\">\n  <div class=\"page-title dark divided-title\">\n\n        <div class=\"page-title-bg\">\n      <div class=\"title-bg fill bg-fill\"\n        data-parallax-container=\".page-title\"\n        data-parallax-background\n data-parallax=\"-\">\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"title-overlay fill\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"page-title-inner container align-center flex-row medium-flex-wrap\" >\n              <div class=\"title-wrapper flex-col text-left medium-text-center\">\n          <h1 class=\"entry-title mb-0\">\n            MANUKA HONEY SCIENTISTS          <\/h1>\n        <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"title-content flex-col flex-right text-right medium-text-center\">\n        <div class=\"title-breadcrumbs pb-half pt-half\"><nav class=\"woocommerce-breadcrumb breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">Home<\/nav><\/div>      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n     \n<style>\n#page-header-828411516 .page-title-inner {\n  min-height: 250px;\n}\n#page-header-828411516 .title-bg {\n  background-image: url(https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/mnz-header-2.jpg);\n}\n<\/style>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"container header-wrapper-divider\"><hr\/><\/div>  <\/div>\n  \n\n\t<section class=\"section\" id=\"section_1048719330\">\n\t\t<div class=\"section-bg fill\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\t<div class=\"section-content relative\">\n\t\t\t\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-118889393\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1913760397\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<h2>PROFESSOR THOMAS HENLE<\/h2>\n<h3>Technical University of Dresden \u2013 Germany<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em><strong>\u201cA grading system must be scientifically sound, based on a method that has been published and can be used in laboratories. This is certainly the case for the MGO Manuka honey classification.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Professor Thomas Henle \u2013 Technical University of Dresden, Germany<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In 2006, Professor Thomas Henle and his research team at the Technical University of Dresden identified methylglyoxal (MGO) as a measurable compound present in Manuka honey. His work contributed significantly to the development of a science-based classification system built on quantifiable laboratory analysis.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, Professor Henle has published multiple scientific papers examining the chemical composition and measurable markers of Manuka honey, helping to strengthen international standardisation within the category.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1222425440\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_693087046\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/henle.jpg\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_693087046 {\n  width: 80%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#col-1222425440 > .col-inner {\n  max-width: 500px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-273297027\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1284185122\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<h2>PROFESSOR PETER MOLAN<\/h2>\n<h3>University of Waikato \u2013 New Zealand<\/h3>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em><strong>\u201cTesting for methylglyoxal provides a clear and measurable way to classify the distinctive properties of Manuka honey.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><em>Professor Peter Molan \u2013 University of Waikato, New Zealand<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Professor Peter Molan began researching Manuka honey in the 1980s at the University of Waikato, where he established the Waikato Honey Research Unit. His pioneering work helped bring international scientific attention to the unique and measurable characteristics of Manuka honey.<\/p>\n<p>He introduced the grading concept known as UMF (Unique Manuka Factor), contributing to early efforts to standardise and classify Manuka honey based on measurable parameters.<\/p>\n<p>Through numerous scientific publications, Professor Molan advanced the understanding of Manuka honey\u2019s chemical profile and its distinctive composition. His research laid important foundations for later studies, including the identification and quantification of methylglyoxal (MGO) as a measurable marker.<\/p>\n<p><em>Professor Peter Molan passed away in 2015. His work remains influential in the field of Manuka honey research.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-833827176\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_996646972\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/molan.jpg\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_996646972 {\n  width: 80%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#col-833827176 > .col-inner {\n  max-width: 500px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1059948033\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1266184686\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<h2>PROFESSOR KEIJI TERAO<\/h2>\n<h3>Kobe University Medical School \u2013 Japan<\/h3>\n<p>Professor Keiji Terao has been involved in research focusing on the chemical composition and functional properties of natural substances, including propolis and Manuka honey from New Zealand.<\/p>\n<p>His work has contributed to the scientific understanding of naturally occurring compounds and the development of innovative formulations based on measurable chemical markers.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-1697599956\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_1088771070\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Keiji.jpg\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_1088771070 {\n  width: 80%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#col-1697599956 > .col-inner {\n  max-width: 500px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\"  id=\"row-1751021993\">\n\n\t<div id=\"col-919989080\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-8\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n<h2>DR. ROBERT LAHEIJ<\/h2>\n<h3>Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital \u2013 The Netherlands<\/h3>\n<p>Dr. Robert Laheij has been involved in clinical research examining the properties and composition of Manuka honey in relation to gastrointestinal contexts.<\/p>\n<p>His work contributes to the broader scientific exploration of Manuka honey and its measurable characteristics within controlled research environments.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\t<div id=\"col-2027920701\" class=\"col medium-12 small-12 large-4\"  >\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-inner text-center\"  >\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t<div class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\" id=\"image_1232700240\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"img-inner dark\" >\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.manukanewzealand.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/robert-laheij.jpg\" class=\"attachment-original size-original\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#image_1232700240 {\n  width: 80%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n<style>\n#col-2027920701 > .col-inner {\n  max-width: 500px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n<style>\n#section_1048719330 {\n  padding-top: 30px;\n  padding-bottom: 30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n\t<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-28882","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Scientists behind MGO Manuka Honey - Manuka New Zealand<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Professor Thomas Henle demonstrated that Methylglyoxal (MGO) is the component in Manuka Honey that is responsible for the bioactivity; 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