Introducing theHoney Bioactivity Index

Bioactive strength, measured.
Not claimed.

01 The Problem

Two jars can pass every purity test and still differ substantially in available bioactive compounds such as phenols, antioxidants, flavonoids among many others. These are highly dependent on factors such as floral source, weather, harvest conditions and processing

Purity tells us the honey is real.
It tells us nothing about its strength.

02 Why Measurement Matters

Manuka honey faced the same challenge decades ago: a strong reputation for wound healing, but no reliable way to distinguish a genuinely potent jar from an ordinary one. That changed when researchers identified methylglyoxal (MGO) as the compound responsible for its characteristic antibacterial activity and developed a grading system to measure it directly.

Today, a growing body of research suggests that several Moroccan monofloral honeys exhibit bioactive properties comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, those reported for Manuka. Unlike Manuka, whose commercial grading systems are built primarily around MGO, Moroccan honeys appear to derive their bioactivity from a far more diverse range of naturally occurring compounds, highlighting the need for a broader framework to measure and understand their bioactive strength.

We're building the scientific foundation for Moroccan honey

03 Our Methodology

Our methodology follows three sequential phases, each answering a different scientific question.

Phase 1 Live

How bioactively strong is this honey?

Phase 2 In Progress

Which compound is responsible?

Phase 3 In Progress

What is its biological relevance?

1

What Phase 1 Measures

We test every batch for two properties: Total Phenolic Content (TPC), which measures the concentration of phenolic compounds in the honey, and DPPH antioxidant activity, which measures how effectively the honey neutralizes a stable free radical. TPC tells us how much phenolic compound is present. DPPH tells us how well the honey performs. Testing both makes the result meaningful.

TPC How much is present
DPPH How well it performs
2

Why These Two Measurements

TPC and DPPH are the most widely used and accepted proxy tests in academic honey research. Using them places our results inside an existing body of evidence rather than a metric of our own invention. They measure different things and complement each other, so together they provide a fuller, more reliable picture.

“We chose methods the science community already uses and can reproduce anywhere.”

3

Where Phase 1 Stops

Phase 1 Can Tell Us

  • That bioactivity exists
  • Relative bioactive strength between batches

Phase 1 Cannot Tell Us

  • Which specific compound is responsible
  • What that compound does physiologically
  • Any clinical or therapeutic outcome

Phase 1 gives us a chemical signal, not an explanation. Phases 2 and 3 exist to answer the two questions Phase 1 cannot.

4

Grounded In The Literature

Our Phase 1 protocol is calibrated against peer reviewed honey research. As we test more batches, our own results are added to that same body of evidence, so our data set grows alongside the published literature, not apart from it.

See The Research In The Library
5

Beyond Phase 1

Phase 2 identifies the specific compound responsible for a variety's bioactivity through molecular analysis. Phase 3 will investigate that compound's physiological relevance and the biological effects associated with it, connecting measured bioactivity to an evidence-grounded understanding of its potential role. Each phase builds directly on the one before it.

04 Our Grading Tiers

Tiers are set by Honey Bioactivity Index (HBI) score, calculated from TPC and DPPH results.

Silver

Good

HBI 1.9+

Genuine, measurable bioactivity. Every batch released under the Tayab name meets this standard at minimum.

Gold

Exceptional

HBI 2.5+

Bioactivity meaningfully above the Silver range, placing a batch among the stronger honeys we test.

Diamond

Top Tier

HBI 3.5+

Among the highest bioactivity range we've measured across tested batches to date.