Hives
Does Taylor Pass have their own hives?
Yes we do, we have over 10,000 hives located throughout the South Island of New Zealand that are run and managed by our team of dedicated beekeepers year round to ensure the health of our hives. We are a fully integrated company controlling all aspects of the supply chain from hive to pantry.
Why does honey’s colour and texture vary?
Honey is a natural product, influenced by seasonal and regional conditions - just like wine, with no two harvests being the same. You can expect honey’s flavor profile and colour to develop with age.
What is creamed honey? Does it contain dairy? How do you make it?
The first thing to clarify is that Taylor Pass Honey Co.'s creamed honey varietals are 100% natural NZ honey with no additives. The “creaming” process relies on, and
enhances, honey’s natural tendency to crystallize.
There are two main types of sugar that make up honey; glucose and fructose. Glucose is responsible for crystallisation; honey varietals have varying levels of glucose depending on the type of flower the nectar originated from. Nectar from flowers such as Mānuka and Kamahi have a higher level of glucose and are therefore prone to accelerated crystallisation.
Another factor causing rapid crystallization is the presence of pollen, which you will find in raw honey that has been minimally processed. Pollen particles create a surface for the crystals to begin forming.
Lastly temperature has its part to play. The reason why you commonly see honey in the
supermarket that stays liquid and looking pretty for a very long time is that most honeys you will find on a supermarket shelf have been fine-filtered (taking out the beneficial pollen) and heat treated, which destroys the natural composition of the honey. It does alleviate the crystallization issue but, in the process, it strips all the goodness from the honey and all you are left with is a glorified sugar syrup.
So, how do we get creamed honey that is deliciously smooth out of liquid honey that will eventually turn into gritty crystals? To begin with we take previously creamed honey which we call “seed” or “starter” and add this to liquid honey at about a 10% ratio of starter to liquid honey. The honey is slowly stirred intermittently in a temperature-controlled tank (cool) over a three-four-day period. The fine crystal present in the original starter is replicated throughout the entire batch creating a product with a thick, smooth and silky texture.
Mānuka Honey
What is Mānuka Honey and why should I buy it?
Mānuka Honey comes from the nectar of the flower of the Mānuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) which is a native plant found only in New Zealand. It is the nectar and the bee that give this honey its unique properties. It is one of the world’s most unique honeys. It is well respected by consumers and has a substantial body of research behind it.
Mānuka Honey is recognised as being the ‘standard’ against which other honeys are compared. Recognising the inherent value of it, consumers have been buying Mānuka Honey for over 20 years.
Mānuka Honey Grading Systems Explained
All Mānuka honey bottled and sent from New Zealand for export markets must meet the
government standard for Mānuka honey introduced in February 2018.
A combination of five attributes (four chemical markers and one DNA marker from Mānuka pollen) are required to authenticate Monofloral and Multifloral Mānuka honey. These attributes can be identified using two independent laboratory tests. The difference between Monofloral and Multifloral is the required levels of these key indicators.
In addition to the above, those companies wanting to label their honey with a rating system must perform a separate round of laboratory analysis to identify the signature compounds that are responsible for efficacy with the main compound being Methylglyoxal.
What are the benefits of Mānuka honey?
The healing properties of Mānuka honey are widely known, and many have been scientifically tested. Due to New Zealand food regulations, we can’t make any claims on the therapeutic or medical benefits of Mānuka honey, which is why you will find no reference to this on either our packaging or in any of our content. We have however heard many great success stories from customers who have used our honey for specific ailments including wound care and immunity.
The rating on the jar 5+, 10+, 15+ etc is a measure of the concentration of the signature compounds in the Mānuka honey that are responsible for giving the honey its antibacterial properties. The higher the number the more concentrated the properties.
Why shouldI buy UMF Mānuka Honey over any other non-UMF mark product?
The UMF® quality trademark is the only rating system that is independently verified. UMF
is the association of New Zealand honey producers that governs the Mānuka honey UMF rating system specifically to protect consumers against honey labels making unsubstantiated claims.
UMF Mānuka honey has unique properties that have been well researched. The UMF Honey Association and the mark assure consumers that these key signature compounds are present in license-holders’ products.
The Association has a Code of Practice which all licensees must follow. This includes independent audits to ensure compliance with UMF quality standard production facility requirements. We also appoint independent companies to regularly check samples from the marketplace. This helps protect consumers from counterfeit products.
UMF is the only rating system that guarantees that the product is packed in New Zealand from 100% New Zealand honey.
No other rating systems are independently governed and are free for producers to use whether onshore or offshore.
Honey Safety
Can I eat Mānuka while pregnant?
Mānuka Honey has been taken by pregnant and breastfeeding women for many years with no reported problems however if you have any concerns we recommend checking with your health professional.
How long does honey keep for?
Food standards state that honey must be labelled with a best before date, but as long as honey is stored properly and not exposed to too much heat honey will last well beyond its best before date and in most cases indefinitely.
Is it safe for Diabetics to consume honey?
Our honey has just one ingredient – 100% pure New Zealand Honey however it is important to remember that honey contains naturally occurring sugars just like fruit and for this reason it is recommended that diabetics seek advice from their doctor with
regards to the consumption of honey.
Can children eat honey?
Honey is suitable for children over 12 months old.
Should I keep honey in the fridge?
There’s no need to store honey in the fridge. Keeping honey in the refrigerator can cause it to crystalize.
Why has my honey crystallized?
Honey will naturally crystallise over time. New Zealand honey in particular is prone to crystallization when left in a liquid state this is largely due to the filtration process. It is common across the world to ultra-filter honey to remove pollen and all visible impurities that aid crystallization however this process is illegal in New Zealand.
New Zealand honey retains all of the natural pollen, these pollens can act as a nucleation point and therefore increase the chance of crystallization. If your honey has crystallised you can bring it back to liquid by placing the jar in a bowl of warm water and slowly letting it warm up.
Honey Usage
How can I use my honey?
The uses for honey are endless – here are a few ideas:
- Use honey to sweeten your dressings or marinades.
- As a sweetener in coffee or tea.
- Drizzle honey on top of toast or pancakes.
- Mix honey into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal for a more natural sweetener.
- On whole grain toast and top with peanut butter.
- As an energy boost prior to exercise.
- Use as a glaze on meat.
- As a sugar replacement in baking.
- As a face mask applied directly to the skin.
How do I substitute honey for sugar?
Because of its high fructose content honey is twice as sweet as sugar so you will need to reduce the amount mentioned in your recipe. For each cup of sugar required, you should use approximately half the amount of honey. As honey is composed of up to 18% water you will also need to reduce the liquid required by approximately a quarter.
When baking sweets you should lower the oven temperature by 59F to prevent over-browning.
Will eating local honey help with my allergies?
There are many anecdotal stories of people claiming relief from allergies by eating local honey, but we are not aware of any scientific evidence to support these claims.
This subject is somewhat controversial, since some experts claim that the kinds of pollens that are the greatest cause of allergies are smaller windblown pollens that are not typically found in honey. In addition to this many honeys around the world are ultra-filtered and pollen is essentially stripped out of the honey during this process and therefore would be in effective against allergy relief. This is not the case for honeys produced in New Zealand where it is illegal to ultra-filter honey.
