Antioxidant-Rich Berries for Formulation

Phytonutrient-packed berries are allowing formulators to deliver a potent product punch

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Nutritionists and moms agree—it’s important that we eat more fruits. Fortunately, there are even more fresh, frozen and freeze-dried options, in a variety of delivery forms, to help consumers meet their daily intake.

And perhaps no fruits are as appealing to consumers as berries. As spring brings blueberries, strawberries and blackberries to store shelves, consumers snap them up for snacking and cooking. “Berries were one of the first sources of food for our ancient ancestors and very important in the diet,” said Mitchell May, president, Synergy Production Laboratories. “Whole wild and organic berries deliver the full spectrum of nutrition and are literally bursting with flavor.”

But these original “super” fruits offer much more than great taste; antioxidant flavonoids and phytonutrients are packed into their compact bodies. “Most berries have additional qualities that go beyond their antioxidant values,” said Leslie Gallo, marketing manager, Artemis International. “We should be looking more at the overall composition of phytonutrients and their respective health benefits.”

Berries contain numerous healthy micronutrients, such as vitamins C and E, calcium and folic acid, as well as dietary fiber. In addition, they deliver a broad range of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanidins, flavanols (proanthocyanidins), flavonols (quercetin), plus ellagic acid and essential fatty acids (EFAs). Together, they make for a powerful antioxidant cocktail that boosts the body’s resistance to inflammation and mutagenic responses.

“Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation are at the root of numerous chronic health issues,” noted Blake Ebersole, technical director, Verdure Sciences. “Hence the potential importance of antioxidants from fruits and why we see fruit compounds being able to address a number of health issues.”

Individually and in concert, berries have been researched for their impact on human health. In heart health, studies have shown the phenolics from cranberry, raspberry, bilberry and black currant may help increase antioxidant capacity and prevent oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.^1,2 Long-term consumption of blueberries appears to help reduce lipid hyperperoxide concentration,³ while highbush blueberry cultivars have very high antioxidant capacity, attributed to its total phenolic and anthocyanin concentrations.⁴

In fact, research into the health effects of blueberries is picking up. “Blueberries have been in the spotlight for their association with healthy eating for some time, but their election to the realm of ‘superfoods’ has focused even more attention on them as a vibrant market trend,” said Jeannette Ferrary, on behalf of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. “The color blue signals the presence of anthocyanins, a substance that may prevent heart disease and other healthy nutrients that may improve memory.”

In the area of brain health, blueberries have been shown to prevent age-related declines in temporal processing speed,⁵ protect the brain from stroke-induced damage⁶ and protect the hippocampus from induced brain injury.⁷ The anthocyanins in blueberry have further been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier to enhance memory,⁸ while also working to inhibit inflammation in the central nervous system.⁹

Berries may also work individually and synergistically to prevent carcinogenesis. Cranberry compounds have been shown to inhibit carcinogenesis in breast¹⁰ and prostate¹¹ cell cancer lines. Bilberry and chokeberry extracts were found to work in vitro to prevent colon carcinogenesis,¹² while raspberry and blueberry extracts inhibited mutagenesis in breast and cervical cancer lines.¹³ Pterostilbene, a phenolic compound present in blueberry skin, can inhibit the formation of precancerous cells in the colon,¹⁴ while blueberries’ anthocyanin fraction can dose-dependently induce tumor cell death.¹⁵

Intriguing Exotics

In an increasingly global market, it is not surprising that consumers are showing increased interest in exotic berries in addition to the familiar ones. “The exotic nature of these fruits makes them appealing to consumers,” said Jeff Wuagneux, president and CEO, RFI. “It’s as if they are a new discovery, a sort of ‘cutting edge’ nutrition. In addition, some of these fruits do have unique phytochemicals not found in our familiar, everyday fruits, which may make them ‘supercharged’.”

The nutrient-dense nutritional profiles and unique tastes of exotic berries are being delivered in innovative ways, and in blends with more familiar ingredients. “These exotic berries share several characteristics,” noted Paul M. Gross, Ph.D. “They are recognized as novel, exceptional antioxidant sources and have active research interest for potential anti-disease properties.”

One of the first “hot” exotic berries was acai (Euterpe badiocarpa), a dark purple berry that grows on palm trees in the Amazon rainforest of northern Brazil. The fruit is harvested by hand and quickly processed to avoid degradation of the nutrients; it is high in vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium and niacin. It also has rich phenolic content, and delivers a taste likened to a combination of chocolate and dark berries.

Reported health benefits include greater energy and stamina, improved digestion and circulation, greater mental activity and improved sleep. Studies support its antioxidant activity, through both phenolics and as-of-yet unidentified phytochemicals,¹⁶ as well as anti-inflammatory activity and support of the immune system.¹⁷