Does a Higher MGO Number Mean Better Mānuka Honey?

• A high MGO number looks impressive, but on its own it's a claim, not a certification.

• UMF grading checks four separate markers - MGO, leptosperin, DHA and HMF - to verify what a single MGO figure can't.

• Knowing the difference means you can choose your Mānuka honey grade with confidence, rather than chasing the biggest number on the shelf.

Scroll through Mānuka honey online for longer than a minute and one number tends to jump out first - a bold figure stamped across the label. MGO 850+. MGO 1200+. Every jar seems to be quietly daring the next one to outdo it.

If you've found yourself searching for Mānuka honey with high MGO, comparing browser tabs and wondering whether the biggest figure simply means the best jar, you're asking exactly the right question - you're just not going to find the full answer printed on the front of the label. In the growing UMF vs MGO conversation, this is the one question worth settling first. 

A bigger number does feel like a better deal. But MGO on its own is only ever part of the picture, and knowing what it does and doesn't tell you is the difference between buying a number and buying genuine quality.

The Number on the Jar Isn't the Whole Story

MGO stands for methylglyoxal, a compound that occurs naturally in Mānuka honey as it matures. It's measured in milligrams per kilogram, and it's one of the properties that sets Mānuka apart from other honey types. If you've searched for the Mānuka honey MGO meaning, that's the short version - a single chemical marker, expressed as a number.

Where it gets more complicated is what that number can actually prove. MGO tells you about one compound, in one sample, at one point in time. It doesn't tell you where the honey came from, how it was handled between hive and jar, or whether anyone outside the brand has independently checked it - which is the fuller answer beneath the simple Mānuka honey MGO meaning.

We've covered the fundamentals of  Mānuka honey UMF vs MGO in detail elsewhere on our website, including how the two systems relate. For now, the point worth holding onto is simpler: MGO is a genuine, useful measurement. But it isn't a complete one.

Why Can a High MGO Figure Be Misleading?

Here's the thing about a single number: it's easy to present, and it's easy to make look impressive. But a high MGO figure on its own doesn't confirm how rigorously it was tested, whether it was verified by an independent body, or whether the honey has stayed at that strength since the day it was tested.

Methylglyoxal isn't fixed, either. It continues to develop over the shelf life of the honey, and it can shift with heat, poor storage, or time. A figure tested and printed at one moment doesn't necessarily reflect what's in the jar by the time it reaches your pantry.

This is exactly why so many shoppers are now searching specifically for the highest MGO Mānuka honey, hoping a bigger number is a shortcut to the best jar. We completely understand the instinct - but a number by itself, however high, is not the same thing as a certification. It's a claim, and far too many Mānuka honey UMF vs MGO comparisons treat the higher figure as an automatic win. 

None of this means MGO doesn't matter - it means it shouldn't be the only thing you check. For a closer look at how to separate genuine quality markers from marketing, our piece on what Mānuka honey brands don't always volunteer is a useful companion to this one.

What Does UMF Grading Actually Measure?

This is where UMF - Unique Mānuka Factor - comes in. UMF is an independently verified, trademarked grading system developed in New Zealand and administered by the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association  (UMFHA). Rather than relying on a single figure, UMF certification tests honey against four separate markers:

MGO (methylglyoxal) - the strength marker discussed above

Leptosperin - a compound specific to genuine Mānuka honey, used as an authenticity marker

DHA (dihydroxyacetone) - an indicator of how the honey's MGO level will develop over time

HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) - a marker of freshness and correct handling

Together, these four markers give a fuller, independently checked picture than MGO can’t provide on its own. UMF doesn't replace MGO or make it irrelevant - it puts it in context, alongside the checks that confirm the honey is genuine, fresh and correctly handled from hive to jar. Every jar carrying a genuine UMF licence number can be traced back to its certification, which is what separates a verified grading system from a number a brand has simply chosen to print.

Not sure which UMF grade suits you? Our  Certifications page breaks down exactly what each rating means - or get in touch and our team will help you find the right jar.

Reading & Buying Mānuka Honey Jars With Confidence

The practical upshot is refreshingly simple. When you're comparing Mānuka honey UMF vs MGO on a label, look for both figures - and look for a genuine UMF licence number alongside them. The MGO figure tells you about strength. The UMF certification tells you that the strength, authenticity and freshness have all been independently checked.

It's also worth resisting the pull toward the highest number available by default. The right UMF grade depends on how you intend to use your honey day to day, not on chasing the biggest figure on the shelf. A UMF 5+ is a genuinely different everyday jar to a UMF 20+ or 25+, and neither is ‘better’ than the other - they're simply graded, verified and priced differently.

If you'd like the specifics of how MGO and UMF figures correspond, check out our UMF to MGO conversion table is laid out in full in our earlier article.

This is why every jar of PURITI Mānuka honey carries dual certification: UMF, through the UMFHA, and the New Zealand Government's own Mānuka honey science definition, administered by the  Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). New Zealand is the only country with a formal, government-set scientific standard for Mānuka honey. We also test and pack every jar at a single source in New Zealand, and protect it with more than 11 anti-counterfeit and security features, so the number on the label is backed by traceability. 

It’s also worth nothing that at the 2026 London International Honey Awards, PURITI's UMF 20+ and 25+ Mānuka honey were awarded Double Platinum, and our UMF 31+ took Gold - independent, third-party recognition that sits alongside our UMF and MPI certification, rather than replacing it.

The Short Answer

Does a higher MGO number mean better Mānuka honey? Not on its own. 

Whether you arrived here searching for Mānuka honey with high MGO or the highest MGO Mānuka honey you could find, the answer is the same: the figure is worth noticing, but a valid UMF licence is what's worth trusting, because it's the one thing on the label that's been independently checked, not just claimed.

A high MGO number is worth noticing. A valid UMF licence is what's worth trusting.  Explore PURITI's UMF-graded Mānuka honey range and choose your jar with real confidence.