Medical Grade Honey: How It Differs From the Honey in Your Kitchen
Medical grade honey is a regulated product used by doctors and nurses in some wound care settings. It is easy to confuse with the honey in your pantry, and that confusion can lead people to put kitchen honey on cuts and burns. This article explains what makes medical grade honey different, how it is regulated in the United States, what research reviews have concluded, and why food honey, including ours, belongs in tea and on toast rather than on a wound. For more context, see our article on honey for wound healing.
For general education only, not medical advice. Our honey is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
What makes honey medical grade
Medical grade honey starts as honey but goes through extra steps. It is filtered to remove debris, sterilized to destroy bacterial spores, tested for consistent activity and packed in sterile dressings, gels or pastes.
Gamma irradiation is the usual sterilization method because it kills spores without the heat that would damage honey's enzymes. Ordinary food honey can contain dormant spores, which is harmless to eat for most people over 12 months old but unsuitable for open wounds.
Many medical grade honey products use manuka honey for its stable, non-peroxide activity linked to methylglyoxal in honey.
How it is regulated in the United States
In the US, honey wound dressings are regulated by the FDA as medical devices. The first honey-based dressing was cleared in 2007, and later products followed. Fierce Healthcare reported on a third FDA clearance for one brand's wound and burn dressings.
Clearance means the product met device requirements for its intended use. It does not mean that any honey, or any honey claim, is approved for medical use.
Medical grade honey compared with food honey
The two products serve completely different purposes:
| Feature | Medical grade honey | Food honey |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Professional wound care | Eating and cooking |
| Sterile | Yes, usually irradiated | No |
| Regulated as | Medical device | Food |
| Activity tested | Yes, batch by batch | No |
| Packaging | Sterile dressings, gels, tubes | Jars and bottles |
What research reviews say
The Cochrane review Honey as a topical treatment for wounds looked at many trials. It found that honey may help some types of wounds, such as partial-thickness burns, heal faster than certain conventional dressings, but the quality of evidence varied and results were not consistent across wound types.
In other words, the research is interesting but mixed, and it applies to professionally managed care with medical products.
Mayo Clinic's honey overview likewise notes that honey has been studied for burns and wounds, while cautioning about allergies and the infant botulism risk.
Why kitchen honey should not go on wounds
Food honey is not sterile, its activity is unknown and it may contain pollen or particles. Applying it to an open wound could introduce microbes and delay proper care.
- It can contain dormant bacterial spores.
- Its activity varies widely from jar to jar.
- It may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people.
- It can delay seeing a professional for a wound that needs attention.
Medical grade honey and diabetes
People sometimes ask whether honey dressings are safe for people with diabetes, since honey is sugar. Wound care decisions for anyone with diabetes, including foot wounds, should always be made with a doctor or wound care nurse. Self-treatment is risky.
If you have diabetes and a wound that is not healing, contact your care team promptly.
Common myths
One common myth is that raw honey is more medical than medical grade honey because it is unprocessed. For eating, raw honey keeps more of its natural character. For wounds, sterility and tested activity matter, and only medical products provide those.
Another myth is that a high price or MGO number makes food honey suitable for wounds. It does not. Only products made and labeled for wound care are appropriate.
Where food honey belongs
Food honey is a wonderful ingredient. It sweetens tea, balances dressings and brings depth to baking. Our how to use raw honey guide is full of everyday ideas.
If you are curious about the science behind honey's lab activity, read honey antibacterial properties and honey and biofilms.
How medical grade honey is tested
Manufacturers test each batch of medical grade honey for consistent activity, usually in lab assays against standard bacteria. They also check for contaminants, confirm sterility after irradiation and control moisture and packaging.
That level of testing is what separates a medical product from a food. A jar of honey from a store, a market or a farm, however good, has not gone through any of these steps, and its activity can vary widely from batch to batch.
Shopping for food honey
Al Safa sells food honey only. Our jars are raw, never heated above hive temperature and strained of wax. They are meant for the kitchen table, not the first aid kit.
Browse our eight honeys and the sampler in our shop.
Sources
Outside health sources we used for this article. They open in a new tab.
- Honey as a topical treatment for wounds · Cochrane
- Derma Sciences Receives Third FDA Clearance for MEDIHONEY Wound & Burn Dressings · Fierce Healthcare
- Honey (drugs and supplements) · Mayo Clinic
- Manuka Honey Benefits · Cleveland Clinic
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical grade honey?
- It is honey that has been filtered, sterilized, tested for activity and packaged as a regulated product for professional wound care.
- Can I use raw honey instead of medical grade honey?
- No. Raw food honey is not sterile and should not be put on wounds. Talk to a health professional about wound care.
- Is medical grade honey always manuka?
- Many products use manuka honey, but some use other honeys. What matters is sterilization, testing and regulation.
- How is medical grade honey sterilized?
- Usually with gamma irradiation, which destroys spores without the heat that would damage honey.
- Is medical grade honey FDA approved?
- In the US, specific honey wound dressings have been cleared by the FDA as medical devices for defined uses.
- Does Al Safa sell medical grade honey?
- No. We sell raw food honey for eating, cooking and gifting.
- Can I buy medical grade honey at a pharmacy?
- Some honey-based wound products are sold in pharmacies. Ask a pharmacist or doctor whether one is appropriate before using it, and follow the directions on the package.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Talk to your doctor about any health concern. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.