Total Activity (TA) measures the antibacterial strength of honey. It reflects the combined effect of both peroxide and non-peroxide antibacterial properties. A higher TA rating indicates stronger antibacterial activity, making the honey more effective for medicinal use.

TA (Total Activity) and UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) are both measures of honey's antibacterial properties. While TA measures the overall antibacterial activity, UMF specifically rates the non-peroxide activity unique to Manuka honey, primarily due to Methylglyoxal (MGO). Both ratings are useful, but UMF is specific to Manuka honey, whereas TA can apply to various honey types.

MGO (Methylglyoxal) is the compound responsible for the unique antibacterial properties of Manuka honey. The MGO rating represents the concentration of Methylglyoxal in milligrams per kilogram of honey. Higher MGO values indicate stronger antibacterial activity. For example, MGO 100+ contains 100 mg of Methylglyoxal per kg of honey.