SummerGlow Customers are in Safe Hands
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has issued a recall of some manuka honey products produced by an Auckland company, Evergreen Life Ltd, after the discovery that non-approved substances may have been used during the processing of Evergreen honey.
The substances in question are synthetic dihydroxyacetone and methylglyoxal.
James Jeffery, co-owner of SummerGlow Apiaries in Te Kowhai, Hamilton, says consumers need not be concerned about SummerGlow manuka honey products.
"Our understanding,” says Mr Jeffery, “is that synthetic chemicals are believed to have been added during the processing of the Evergreen honey in question.”
In contrast, SummerGlow genuine Manuka Honey has nothing added.
Genuine manuka honey contains naturally occurring methylglyoxal and DHA along with numerous other naturally occurring bio-active compounds unique to manuka honey.
These compounds are what make up the bee harvested gift that is the most complex and highly prized honey known to man – manuka honey. Sadly there are companies in the market willing to attempt to mimic this honey for their own gain.
SummerGlow Apiaries are fully supportive of the action taken by MPI.
Spokesperson for The UMF Honey Association (UMFHA), John Rawcliffe, says the UMFHA is fully supportive of the action being taken by the MPI.
"Several years ago, the focus of the UMFHA science programme was deliberately re-directed away from pollen analysis and the pursuit of a simplistic single marker reference to measure or explain the unique attributes of genuine Manuka Honey,” says Mr Rawcliffe.
"Methylglyoxal, while easy to measure, was always recognised as being only one marker among many. It was also recognised as being vulnerable to adulteration and accordingly not a robust way to identify genuine Manuka Honey."
“The UMF® mark provides greater consumer protection, as it more comprehensively and accurately represents genuine Manuka Honey”.
James Jeffery says his SummerGlow products always display the UMF® mark and consumers can rest assured of the quality and authenticity of SummerGlow products.
"The only honey in SummerGlow jars is honey from our own hives,” says Mr Jeffery, “harvested and extracted by our beekeepers on our own premises.
"We have total control over the honey and what happens to it from when it is first foraged for by our bees until it is in our customers’ hands. We do not add any chemicals at any stage."
We take pride in producing the highest quality, pure, genuine New Zealand Manuka honey."
