How to Read Your Honey Label: TA Ratings, WDPE and the Jarrah Factor™

Honey labels contain information that most buyers have never been taught to decode. TA (Total Activity) measures overall antimicrobial strength. WDPE (Wound Dressing Phenol Equivalent) is the scientific basis of the TA rating. The Jarrah Factor™ goes beyond TA to give a complete picture of bioactive quality. This guide explains all three — and what to look for when comparing products.

Key Points

• TA (Total Activity) is the overall antimicrobial rating of a honey, measured against a phenol reference standard
• WDPE stands for Wound Dressing Phenol Equivalent — the scientific measurement behind the TA number
• The Jarrah Factor™ is Forest Fresh Honey's proprietary quality standard, incorporating TA, PA/NPA split, antioxidant density, and GI
• Most honey labels show only a single number — Forest Fresh labels show the full picture
• Transparent labelling is a sign of a producer who can back their claims with data

You are standing in a health food store — or scrolling through a product page online — looking at two jars of premium bioactive honey. Both say "TA50+" on the label. Both cost roughly the same. How do you know which one is better?

The answer is not in the big number on the front. It is in the details that surround it.

Honey label literacy is a skill that takes about ten minutes to acquire. Once you have it, you will read labels differently — and you will see immediately which producers are being genuinely transparent, and which are printing numbers without the substance to back them up.

This is your complete guide to reading a honey label.

What Does TA Mean on a Honey Label?

TA stands for Total Activity.

It is a measure of a honey's combined antimicrobial strength, tested by comparing the honey's ability to inhibit bacterial growth against a phenol (carbolic acid) reference solution of known concentration.

A honey rated TA50+ inhibits bacteria at a level equivalent to a 50% phenol solution. A honey rated TA30 performs at the level of a 30% phenol solution. The scale reflects the combined effect of all antimicrobial compounds in the honey.

The key word is total. Unlike the MGO system used for Manuka honey — which measures only one specific compound (methylglyoxal) — TA captures the full antimicrobial picture, including:

• Peroxide Activity (PA): from glucose oxidase enzyme producing hydrogen peroxide on contact with moisture
• Non-Peroxide Activity (NPA): from phenolic compounds, methylglyoxal, and other stable antimicrobial substances

This is why TA is a more complete measure than MGO or UMF for honeys like jarrah that have significant PA alongside their NPA.

For a detailed explanation of how the TA scale maps to Manuka MGO ratings, see What is Total Activity (TA) Honey? TA30, TA40, TA50+ Explained.

What is WDPE?

WDPE stands for Wound Dressing Phenol Equivalent.

This is the formal scientific term for what the TA test measures — the phenol equivalent that a honey performs at in a wound dressing context. The "wound dressing" part of the name comes from early research interest in using bioactive honey for wound care applications, where antimicrobial activity was the primary concern.

In practice, WDPE and TA are measuring the same thing — the honey's performance against a phenol reference standard. When you see "TA50+" on a label, the underlying science is a WDPE measurement conducted under standardised laboratory conditions.

You may see WDPE appear on Certificates of Analysis (COAs), laboratory reports, or scientific publications. On consumer-facing labels, TA is the more common presentation of the same data. If a COA you are reading reports a WDPE value of 50 or higher, that corresponds to TA50+.

PA and NPA: The Split That Most Labels Don't Show

A single TA number tells you the total antimicrobial strength. What it does not tell you is where that strength comes from.

PA (Peroxide Activity) and NPA (Non-Peroxide Activity) are the two pathways that add up to the total TA score. A honey with TA50 could theoretically have: - Very high PA and low NPA - Very high NPA and low PA - Roughly equal contributions from both

For most everyday wellness purposes — daily consumption, immune support, antioxidant intake — both pathways are effective and the split matters less. But if you are comparing a jarrah TA50+ to a Manuka MGO 4000+ and want to understand the actual difference, the PA/NPA split is where that story lives.

Manuka honey at MGO 4000+ has very high NPA and negligible PA. Jarrah honey at TA50+ has meaningful NPA and exceptional PA. This dual-mechanism activity is one of the things that distinguishes jarrah honey from Manuka at equivalent total scores — and it is what Forest Fresh calls the Jarrah Factor™.

Most honey producers do not show PA and NPA separately on their labels because: a) It requires additional laboratory testing to isolate the two values b) For single-pathway honeys, showing both values would reveal a weakness

We show the breakdown because our honey's PA is a genuine strength, not a liability.

The Jarrah Factor™: What It Means on a Forest Fresh Label

The Jarrah Factor™ is Forest Fresh Honey's proprietary quality standard. It is not just a TA number — it is a composite mark that represents:

1. TA Rating (Total Antimicrobial Strength) The overall TA score, confirmed independently.

2. PA/NPA Split (Dual Pathway Confirmation) Both peroxide and non-peroxide activity measured and reported separately. This confirms that the honey's antimicrobial activity comes from both pathways, not just one.

3. Goodness Factor™ (Antioxidant Density) Polyphenol and flavonoid content, reflecting the antioxidant richness of the honey. Jarrah honey contains approximately three times more antioxidants than Manuka honey (Pavy & Dragar, 2011).

4. Glycemic Factor™ (Glycemic Index) Low GI status, confirmed through testing based on the methodology of Arcot & Brand-Miller (2005). Meaningful for anyone using honey as a regular part of their diet.

5. Floral Authentication (Provenance Confirmed) Laboratory confirmation that the honey's chemical profile matches Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah). This is the test that catches blended or mislabelled product.

6. Crystallisation-Free Guarantee™ A texture and quality assurance standard ensuring the product you receive meets the same physical quality as the honey we test.

No other Australian honey producer uses a comparable composite standard. When the Jarrah Factor™ appears on a label, it represents all six dimensions of quality, not just the number on the front.

🍯 Explore the Jarrah Range — Every product carries the Jarrah Factor™, backed by five-lab validation and a COA available on request. Shop the Jarrah Range →

What a Transparent Honey Label Should Include

Use this as a checklist when evaluating any premium honey label:

If a premium honey label ticks most of these boxes, you are dealing with a producer who is serious about transparency. If several are absent — especially COA availability and independent testing — treat claims with appropriate caution.

How to Request and Read a Certificate of Analysis (COA)

A COA is the document that backs every claim a honey producer makes about their product. It is produced by an independent laboratory and contains:

• The batch number tested
• The test date
• TA (Total Activity) result
• PA (Peroxide Activity) result
• NPA (Non-Peroxide Activity) result
• Antioxidant measurements
• Floral authentication result
• The name of the testing laboratory

For Forest Fresh Honey, every batch is tested across five independent laboratories. The COA you receive represents the aggregate of those results.

To request a COA, simply contact Forest Fresh Honey with the batch number from your jar. You will receive the corresponding laboratory documentation.

For guidance on using COAs to assess whether a honey is genuinely what it claims to be, see How to Spot Fake Jarrah Honey.

Comparing Forest Fresh Labels to Industry Standard

Most honey labels in the premium category show a single number — MGO, UMF, or TA — and a product name. Some add marketing language. Very few show the full picture of what that number means or how it was arrived at.

Forest Fresh Honey labels show: - TA grade (e.g., TA50+) - The Jarrah Factor™ mark (confirming dual pathway, antioxidant, GI, and provenance) - Glycemic Factor™ - Crystallisation-Free Guarantee™ - Origin: Western Australia - Batch traceability - COA availability statement

We do this because we genuinely have nothing to hide. When you test every batch across five laboratories and the results consistently support your claims, transparent labelling is easy.

The producers who are vague about their testing methodology usually have a reason to be.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does "TA50+" mean — what is the "+" for? A: The "+" indicates a minimum grade — the honey tested at TA50 or higher. This is an important distinction: it means the rating is a floor, not a specific point. Forest Fresh TA50+ honey has been confirmed at that level or above across five independent labs.

Q: Is WDPE the same as TA? A: Yes, in practice. WDPE (Wound Dressing Phenol Equivalent) is the formal laboratory measurement. TA (Total Activity) is the consumer-facing expression of that measurement. A WDPE of 50 = TA50.

Q: Why don't all honey producers show PA and NPA separately? A: Testing PA and NPA separately requires additional laboratory work. For honeys with only one active pathway (like Manuka, which has high NPA but negligible PA), showing both values would reveal that the high total figure comes from a single mechanism. For jarrah honey with genuine dual-pathway activity, showing both is a point of pride, not a risk.

Q: What is the Jarrah Factor™ in simple terms? A: It is Forest Fresh Honey's comprehensive quality mark — confirming that a honey has been tested for total antimicrobial strength (TA), both activity pathways (PA + NPA), antioxidant density, glycemic index, and authentic jarrah floral origin. It means we have done more than just print a number on a label.

Q: How do I know the TA rating is real, not just printed on the label? A: Ask for the Certificate of Analysis. A legitimate producer will provide the COA immediately. If there is no COA available, or if the COA is internal (not from an independent laboratory), the TA claim is not independently validated.

Q: Why do some honeys say "TA" and others say "MGO" or "UMF"? A: Different honeys use different rating systems. MGO and UMF are used primarily for Manuka honey and measure non-peroxide activity. TA is used for Australian bioactive honeys including jarrah and measures total (combined) antimicrobial activity. The systems are not identical, but TA50+ is equivalent to MGO 4000+ in overall antibacterial performance.

Q: What is the Glycemic Factor™? A: The Glycemic Factor™ is Forest Fresh Honey's proprietary label indicator for the glycemic index of the honey. Jarrah honey has a low GI (Arcot & Brand-Miller, 2005), making it more suitable than many sweeteners for people who are mindful of blood glucose response.

The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. Please consult your healthcare professional before using honey as part of a health or medical regimen. Forest Fresh Honey products are food products, not medicines. Not suitable for children under 12 months. These statements are based on traditional use and emerging scientific research.

Written by Matt Fewster, 5th generation of the Fewster family and co-founder of Forest Fresh Honey.

Sources: - Arcot, J. & Brand-Miller, J. (2005). A Preliminary Assessment of the Glycemic Index of Honey. RIRDC. https://www.agrifutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/publications/05-027.pdf - Pavy, S. & Dragar, C. (2011). Antioxidant Properties of WA Jarrah Honey. WA Jarrah Honey Committee. https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/35350b70-4b13-4876-abd6-b146f468c4e8/downloads/media-release%20on%20antioxidant%20of%20jarrah%20honey.pdf - Islam, M. K., Barbour, M. & Locher, C. (2024). Authentication of Western Australian Honey. PeerJ Analytical Chemistry. https://peerj.com/articles/achem-33/ - Irish, J., Blair, S. & Carter, D. A. (2011). The Antibacterial Activity of Honey Derived from Australian Flora. PLOS ONE. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0018229