Manuka honey has long been hailed as a natural medicine with healing antibacterial properties, but now, thanks to a new evidence, the demand for New Zealand's high-value honey could be about to increase significantly.
Researchers at Southampton University have discovered that using Manuka-based solutions to clean medical equipment in hospitals is effective, The Telegraph reports. The study showed that the honey reduced potentially deadly bacteria found on surfaces by more than 75 per cent.
It is thought that the mix of honey and water could be particularly beneficial for fighting urine infections, as it could be used on catheters to keep them free from harmful germs.
Dr Bashir Lwaleed, an associate professor of health sciences at the University of Southampton, agrees that the rates of catheter infection in hospitals "need addressing," but he is also hopeful that this discovery will serve other purposes, too.
"We believe that patients might also benefit from honey's anti-inflammatory properties, which are generally stronger in dark honeys, such as Manuka, and that antibacterial resistance is unlikely to be a factor when honey is used," he said.
There is no word yet on when Manuka might be arriving in hospitals, but Professor Dame Nicky Cullum suggests there might be quite a wait.
"This work from Southampton is at a very early stage so we shouldn't get too excited," she told the BBC. "But it is an interesting avenue that is worth pursuing.
Still, this research is likely to boost sales of the monofloral honey, which is made by bees that interact with just one species of flower. It comes in varying degrees of antibacterial potency and each tub has a Unique Manuka Factor to identify it. A rating of 10+ or above is said to be the optimum level to look out for.
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