FAQs

What is Gather By bioactive+ Australian Manuka Honey™

Gather By Bioactive+ Manuka is a world-premium Australian Manuka Honey produced from our diverse range of high-quality selected Australian native Leptospermum plants (aka Manuka or Jelly Bush). Our plants contain high levels of the natural product DHA (Dihydroxyacetone) in their nectar, which in turn produces the key bioactive ingredient, the natural MGO (Methylglyoxal). Honey has been recognised for its healing properties for thousands of years and now scientific studies have proven Manuka’s effectiveness for nutrition, wellness and therapeutic uses

What is the science behind Gather By? 

Sustainable production of our unique Honey has been made possible after many years of dedicated research and development, identifying and growing species of Australian native Leptospermum spp plants (aka Jelly Bush or Manuka) that contains a special molecule in the nectar of this native flower.  From healthy bees, the activity in the flower’s nectar converts to another molecule in the honey, Methylglyoxal (MGO).  MGO (measured in mg/kg) contributes to the honey’s high-value, medicinal and therapeutic properties.  

What is MGO? 

MGO stands for Methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring molecule that makes Manuka honey an active Honey. MGO is the magic ingredient in Manuka Honey – the higher the MGO, the more potent the anti-bacterial action.

What is NPA?

In 1981, Dr Peter Molan, who is a professor at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, was researching the peroxide activity in honeys from around the world. He found that when he deliberately destroyed the Hydrogen Peroxide Activity (HPA) in honey, that only one type of honey was still displaying strong anti-bacterial activity. This activity became known as Non-Peroxide Antibacterial Activity (NPA). Dr Molan went on to research this activity over many years and found that it was very stable in Manuka Honey and could withstand both heat and light exposure while still remaining highly active and effective.

What is DHA? 

DHA is a molecule, Dihydroxyacetone, which is present in the nectar of Manuka flowers (Leptospermum). Some Manuka plants have more DHA in their nectar than others. When bees feed on the nectar of the Leptospermum containing DHA, this molecule converts to MGO in the Bees gut.– it is this process that gives the honey its antimicrobial and anti-bactericidal properties.

How do Gather By’s customers use Manuka Honey? 

Not your average Honey, Australian Manuka Honey has been tested and effective against 80 different pathogenic bacteria including the MRSA ‘Staph’ superbug.  It is currently packaged and used for gut health, general health and wellness, strep throats, skin treatment and infections, burns and wound care to name a few.

What is the Medicinal Honey Forest? 

 Gather By together with a community of growers and landholders are replanting highly active Australian native bush (Leptospermum) in a specialised way along the East Coast of Australia.  Our planting model known as the Medicinal Honey Forest (MHF) is a biodiverse selection of this highly active Australian native Leptospermum spp together with bee fodder plants, to nourish them and to keep the bees 'in situ' rather than transporting the bees hundreds or sometimes thousands of kilometres to chase the honey flow.   Our method steers away from the older approach which would have been harder on the bees and would lead to weakened bee immune systems making them susceptible to disease and colony collapse.

What are the benefits to the Environment and the Community?

 Our new closed-loop model restores the lands biomass, replants cleared bushland, creates new biodiverse habitats for all pollinators, flora and fauna, while capturing CO2 emissions. It is creating careers, regional jobs and projects involving the propagation of plants, to planting, growing, regenerative ‘in situ’ beekeeping, medicinal Honey production, packaging and distribution.

What Certifications does Gather By have?

 Gather By is a founding member of the Australian Manuka Honey Association (AMHA). The AMHA logo on our website is a mark of Authenticity that provides our consumers with confidence that our honey is pure, raw and potent Manuka Honey. The AMHA has a Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure that the highest standards of Australian Manuka honey are maintained across the country. AMHA has very clear, robust, international guidelines that define the criteria to identify genuine and authentic Australian Manuka Honey. As members of this association, our Honey is lab-tested and certified to guarantee its authenticity as Australian Manuka Honey.

Gather By packs its pure, raw and potent Manuka Honey in HACCP and B-Qual Certified facilities. It’s facilities are also Australian Department of Agriculture (AQIS) Export Control Act Accredited, and Halal Certified.

Gather By is also a participating researcher within the Australian Government, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Cooperative Research Program (CRC).