What is Raw Honey?

New Zealand Raw Honey

What is Raw Honey & How is Raw Honey Made?

Raw honey is the purest form of honey you can buy in New Zealand. Raw honey comes straight from the honey comb and is minimally processed.Raw honey (also available as comb honey) is taken from the hive in its most natural form and is not over-processed or pasteurised.

Mossop’s raw honey is gathered from the fields and farms of the North Island of New Zealand and is a gourmet product that is extremely versatile. Raw honey can be used as a delicious spread on toast or as a key ingredient to more creative recipes — or enjoy raw comb honey on its own, the wax is perfectly edible!

For a selection of raw honey recipe ideas, click here.

At Mossop’s our entire range of beautiful New Zealand honey is raw and natural. Shop our delicious New Zealand honey here.

What is the Pasteurisation Process of Normal New Zealand Honey?

Unless the honey you buy is specifically labelled as ‘raw’, honey off the shelf has typically been pasteurised. The pasteurisation process of honey involves heating it to high temperatures (often to 70°c or more) to destroy any yeasts that may be present. The honey is then rapidly cooled and filtered for bottling. Filtering is done to remove foreign matter not naturally part of honey. However, over-filtering also removes the natural nutrients and components in honey such as bee pollen (which is considered to be one of nature’s super foods).

Although the pasteurisation process makes the honey easier for bottling and makes it look smoother, this cosmetic treatment kills the beneficial bacteria and enzymes that are naturally occurring in honey.

Natural nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals are also damaged by the high heat of the pasteurisation process.

It is important to note that honey does not need to be pasteurised to make it safe to eat.

In order to be classified as ‘raw’, honey should not be over-heated during the production or storage processes and should not be pasteurised.

Taste Benefits of Raw Honey vs. Pasteurised Honey

Raw New Zealand honey has more flavour, maintains its natural integrity, and will naturally granulate. Honey straight from the hive is packed full of unique flavours. If you are buying honey for its taste and natural composition always choose honey that is labelled as ‘raw’.

Why is Mossop’s Raw Honey so Special?

At Mossop’s, we use a unique process when it comes to our honey. We pride ourselves in not over-filtering, over-processing, over-heating, or over-stirring our honey and our customers around the world love the natural taste and integrity that is maintained through our minimal processing system.

The majority of honey packers process their product by creaming the honey. This process involves using crystallizing or creaming machines which operate for 2 to 3 days and essentially changes the composition of the crystals naturally occurring in the honey. It also adds air and possibly moisture.

Think about baking, when you cream the butter and sugar together by homogenisation, the structure of the components are changed as the two ingredients become one. A similar thing happens to honey that is over-processed by creaming — the colour and crystal structure of the honey are changed.

Mossop’s do not cream their honey or blend it for several days, we only stir it enough to combine the honeys in the vat then allow it to naturally granulate in a temperature controlled room. Our unique process does not change the structure of the crystals or remove the natural nutrients in the honey, so the honey’s naturally-occurring goodness, flavours and aromas are maintained throughout the packing process.

As a result of this natural process, Mossop’s honey tends to be harder (less fluid) than creamedhoneys and of a completely different texture to creamed honeys.

What Are Mossop’s Raw Honey Varieties?

At Mossop’s our entire range of New Zealand honey is raw and natural. Our unique process ensures the honey you by from Mossop’s is of the highest quality and all the honey’s natural flavours and features are maintained. Mossop’s raw honey includes rewarewa honey, Manuka honey, and field honey. Why not try our delicious comb honey?

Where Does Mossop’s Raw New Zealand Honey Come From?

Mossop’s raw New Zealand honey comes from the nectar of flowers within the beautiful setting of New Zealand’s native bush and pasture lands.

 

Rewarewa Honey

Our rewarewa honey is produced from the nectar of the rewarewa tree (Knightia excelsa) that grows in the bushy hills and valleys of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions of the North Island in New Zealand.

The rewarewa tree is endemic to New Zealand and flowers in October to December each year. The honey that is produced from the rewarewa tree is a beautifully deep reddish colour with a caramel-like flavour.

Shop Mossop’s Rewarewa honey here.

 

Manuka Honey

Manuka honey is produced from the nectar of the new Zealand native Manuka tree flowers which are found in different locations around New Zealand at different times of the year.

In New Zealand the Manuka tree flowers any time between August and February depending on its geographical location.

Buy UMF® New Zealand Manuka Honey at our online store.

 

Field HoneY

Mossop’s field honey is a multi-flora honey that is produced from the nectar of variety of pasture flowers like clover, grasses, buttercups, dandelions, and in some situation from garden flowers that flower at varying times throughout the summer.

Want to see more bees in your garden? Create a buzz in your backyard with these tips!

Purchase Mossop’s field honey at our online store.

 

Comb Honey

Mossop’s raw Comb Honey is as the bees make it in the hive with the wax and pollens fully intact. It is cut directly out of the frame the bees produced it in and placed in a container for you to enjoy. Our pure, raw comb honey is sealed with beeswax produced by the bees to store the honey in the cells of the frames and is perfectly edible and safe to eat!

Purchase Mossop’s Comb Honey at our online store.

For more information on New Zealand honey, click here.

Mossop’s Family-Owned New Zealand Honey since 1947

Mossop’s is a family-owned and operated New Zealand business that has been producing some of the finest honey in the world since 1947.

At Mossop’s, we believe the best type of honey is raw, natural honey. We process our honey as little as possible to maintain its natural flavour, colour and goodness.

Shop the delicious range of New Zealand honey at Mossop’s online store.

Raw honey quick links:
UMF® Manuka Honey Gift Pack
UMF® Manuka Honey
Raw Rewarewa Honey
Raw Comb Honey