Duerr’s Tineo Honey, Active 20+, a new Chilean honey with unprecedented natural antibiotic properties, will be available for the first time in the UK from February 2010.

The honey is collected in the rainforests of Southern Chile from the nectar of the Tineo tree and has been shown in international medical and clinical trials to be up to twice as effective as Manuka, the world’s most widely recognised ‘healthy honey’.

This pure clear monofloral honey, is amber in colour, with a fragrant aromatic flavour and touches of aniseed and chamomile. This delicate flavour makes it a delicious every-day honey, ideal for all the family, from spreading on toast to stirring into a bowl of porridge.

The honey is collected on the Rio San Pedro estate in the rainforests of Southern Chile from native trees that are exclusive to the area. The estate is owned and run by an English couple, Ian and Maggy Staples, who settled in Chile after falling in love with it while sailing in South America.  They have since been working with local honey producers to establish an organic honey farm.

Research conducted by the team of Professor Gloria Montenegro Rizzardini at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile found Tineo honey was twice as powerful in inhibiting the growth of a range of pathogenic bacteria than either Manuka 17 or 25, including strains resistant to traditional antibiotics.

In the research, Duerr’s Tineo Honey, Active 20+, was proven to be:

• Twice as effective as Manuka against Escherichia Coli (responsible for septisemia and gastroenteritis).
• Twice as effective as Manuka against Staphylococcu`s Epidermidis (causes infection into existing wounds).
• Twice as effective as Manuka against Staphylococcus Aureus an opportunist pathogen that may cause skin infections
• A third more effective than Manuka against Streptococcus Pneumoniae (major cause of pneumonia and other related infections).

Richard Duerr, Sales and Marketing Director of Duerr’s comments: “Honey has always been known for its medicinal properties and our new Tineo honey is proven to be both good for you and delicious. By only sourcing our active honey from the Rio San Pedro estate, we know that the taste and health benefits will remain consistent at an affordable price.”

Professor Gloria Montenegro Rizzardini, Professor at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile comments: “We analysed honeys from the Rio San Pedro estate, harvested during the 2008 season, against a Manuka honey sample. We evaluated both honeys’ active properties on human bacteria and found that the Tineo honey offers strong medicinal properties which may be useful in a variety of settings.”

Further research into the health benefits of the honeys of Rio San Pedro is currently ongoing, with research being carried out by a team of doctors at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, and studies into its use within sports drinks and its role in inhibition of tooth decay.

Duerr’s Tineo Honey, Active 20+ from the Rio San Pedro estate will be available from Duerr’s at Waitrose from February 2010 at £2.99 per 340g jar.

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For more information, photography or to get a sample please contact Jennifer O’Grady or Charlotte Morley at Democracy PR on 0845 224 9980

About Rio San Pedro

Rio San Pedro is a family estate located in the rainforests of the Southern Chile. The estate is owned by British couple Ian and Maggy Staples.

Former businessman Ian, and artist wife, Maggy, sailed to Chile to chart maps after they retired. It was Ian’s dream to go back to his horticultural roots, and the couple founded the honey farm at Rio San Pedro in Southern Chile after falling in love with the location and the opportunity to ‘get back to nature’.

Three generations of Staples are now involved with Rio San Pedro, right down to Ian’s grandchildren who have become chief honey tasters!

Ian, a horticulturist by training, built an illustrious career in business, learning his trade at B&Q before leading household names such as Halford’s.

Tineo honey is one of two Rio San Pedro mono-floral honeys, and will be the first available in the UK.

For more information about Rio San Pedro, please visit www.riosanpedro.com

About Duerr’s

Duerr’s has been producing jam, marmalades, sweet spreads and condiments from their two sites in Manchester for 128 years, now with 200 employees and an annual turnover of £40M the company is still true to its origins as a family business deeply rooted in the local community.

For more information about Duerr’s, please visit www.duerrs.co.uk