The Antibacterial Activity of Honey

How can you explain the antibacterial activity found in honey?

Since ancient times honey has been used as a natural medicine in many cultures. The antibacterial properties of honey however have only been discovered a century ago.

Honey in fact inhibits a broad spectrum of bacteria. Some reports even show an anti-fungal activity in honey. Some honeys will work better than others though. The Honey Research Unit at the Waikato University in New Zealand is constantly investigating honey as a therapeutic agent.

But how exactly can you explain the antibacterial activity found in (regular) honey?

Basically, the antibacterial effect of (regular) honey is due to four major processes or qualities: The osmotic effect, the acidity of honey, the production of hydrogen peroxide in honey and the phytochemical factors.

1. The Osmotic Effect: Honey consists of 84% fructose and glucose (sugar) and 15-21% water. The sugar molecules and the water molecules interact strongly so that bacteria have not enough water available for growth.

2. Acidity: Honey has a pH between 3.2 and 4.5 and is considered quite acidic. This acidity therefore inhibits the growth of bacteria. The optimum pH for bacterial growth lies between 7.2 and 7.4. However, if honey is diluted, the pH could become higher, and therefore the antibacterial quality of honey would be destroyed. Paradoxically, dilution is what is needed in order to support the production of the next important antibacterial component in honey: hydrogen peroxide.

3. Hydrogen Peroxide: This antibacterial component is encymically produced in honey through dilution. Hydrogen peroxide is considered to be the most important antibacterial component of honey. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide in honey is low enough not to cause the inflammation of a wound or damage the tissue.

4. Phytochemical Factors: Besides the honey's strongest anti-bacterial component (hydrogen peroxide), honey also contains some minor chemical factors of that quality. Exactly here lies the difference between the antibacterial qualities of Active Manuka Honey and Regular Honey. Active Manuka Honey contains the UMF factor. 

You can find more information about recent research projects on Active Manuka Honey and resources on the official Web site of the Honey Research Unit of the Waikato University.