Tracking Market Meteors: Exotic Superfruits

Superfruits are an ill-defined category of natural plants believed to have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities. This category promises prodigious growth of consumer products, included among superfoods forecast by Datamonitor to be a $10 billion market by 2011. In fact, the growth in product development can be seen on the store shelves, with Productscan noting 524 new SKUs introduced in 2006 for six superfruits: açaí, goji, mangosteen, noni, pomegranate and seaberry. The firm estimates at least double the growth by the end of 2008. In addition, blueberry, cranberry and red grape are seen as other primary, but more common, superfruits, undergoing diverse product development, increasing consumer appeal and expanding commercial success.

The six exotic fruits are still novel to most consumers and not fully developed as mainstream products. They share several characteristics within the emerging superfruit category. First, they exist in U.S. and Canadian markets mainly as juice products. They are recognized as novel, exceptional antioxidant sources, and have active research interest for potential anti-disease properties. None have scientific validation, sufficient clinical trial evidence or regulatory approval for health claim statements.

In addition, superfruit status could be assessed based on scientific and commercial qualifications. On the scientific side, it would be appropriate to examine nutrient diversity and density, the importance of cellular or organ effects demonstrated in vivo, the intensity of research efforts, including human clinical trial status, and the overall potential for anti-disease impact. Commercially, superfruits could be ranked by novelty, confirmed by consumer enthusiasm, consumer appeal, strength of supply chain, manufacturing/production issues, convenient use of raw materials, promotion/marketing success and sales growth.

However, to simplify the process and allow comparisons between superfruit candidates, this article presents a concise qualification and ranking system using four criteria, each awarded a score out of 10. The criteria are nutrient strength (density, diversity), antioxidant strength, research progress toward human health benefits, and all-inclusive commercial performance.

First, we look at açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.), also known as manaca or palmberry. An exceptional source of polyunsaturated fats (particularly oleic fatty acid) and dietary fiber, the content of vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, magnesium and niacin in açaí are among the highest reported for plant foods. As measured by ORAC and phenolic concentration, antioxidant strength for açaí is the highest known, exceeding the next closest food by three-fold. Açaí would rate an 8 for nutrient contribution, and a 10 for antioxidant strength.

Goji (Lycium barbarum L.), or wolfberry, also has extraordinary nutrient and antioxidant content. Goji has high concentrations of amino acids and protein, vitamin C, riboflavin, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper and zinc. In addition, as a rarity among plants, goji skin and pulp contain dense pigmentation both of phenolic acids and carotenoids, giving it high dietary antioxidant value. Its beta-carotene and zeaxanthin content is exceptional. Therefore, goji earns a 10 on nutrient contribution and a 9 for antioxidant strength.

Next is mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.). As an unpigmented, white fruit, the delicious mangosteen pulp is predictably low in antioxidant quality and also has insignificant nutrient content. Only when phenolics (xanthones) are extracted from its inedible exocarp (rind) and added to mangosteen juice, or when a puree of the whole fruit is used, does mangosteen offer any phytochemical value as a dietary source. As such, the nutrient strength and antioxidant contribution would only be a 1.

Unfortunately, noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) finds itself in the same situation. Mostly devoid of pigments (except from those of added berry juices) and low in micronutrients, noni juice is of interest nutritionally only for its moderate content of the antioxidant vitamin C, leaving it at a 2 for nutrient contribution and 1 for antioxidant contribution.

The edible parts of a pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) are the juice-filled arils surrounding its hundreds of seeds. This means pomegranate has a very low nutrient value (it scores a 1), but is a moderate antioxidant source due to high content of pigmented punicalagins (ellagitannins), ranking a 5 on antioxidant strength.

Finally, we have seaberry (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), also known as seabuckthorn. Although not well-known by Western science, seaberry may be one of the plant world’s most nutritious foods. It has extensive nutrient and phytochemical diversity, including one of the highest vitamin C and E contents, extraordinary pulp and seed levels of alpha linolenic, oleic, palmitic, palmitoleic and linoleic fatty acids, carotenoids and phenolics. These contributions would position seaberry at a 9 out of 10 on both indices, although antioxidant strength for seaberry has not been well studied.

One important note on these rankings: Fruits such as mangosteen and noni, which have low values for antioxidant quality, were ranked as such due to relatively undeveloped science proving biological effects for the mangosteen xanthones and noni phytochemicals.

By examining research for identifying specific factors that may benefit progress toward clinical trials and human health benefits, we can further differentiate superfruits on a path for gaining expert-validated health claims. Accordingly, for each superfruit below, medical research activity since mid-2006 to September 2007 is summarized and indexed on criteria (For an online exclusive summary on recent publications concerning superfruits, click here).

Despite its exceptional nutrient content and antioxidant strength, açaí has not yet attracted much interest by Western scientists. Since the first medical research publication on this fruit in 2004, there have been only 11 published studies, with just four over the past year describing nutrient content, antioxidant capacity, phytochemicals, and vasodilator properties in an animal model. Therefore, açaí is the most scientifically-undeveloped superfruit, rating only a 1 on research progress.

In contrast, 21 new studies were published on goji in the past year, 19 from laboratories in China and Hong Kong, and one each from India and Austria. North American research interest in this berry is not yet evident. General topics of research on goji span from immune function and eye health, to cardiovascular health, metabolic syndrome, neurological disorders and general antioxidant/anti-aging properties. All studies are in the basic stages of laboratory animals or in vitro work. There have been no expert-reviewed clinical trials on disease intervention using dietary goji berries or juice products. Goji would therefore earn a 4 on its research progress toward human health benefits.

Over the past year, there have been eight published mangosteen studies, nearly all of which isolated or defined preliminary properties of the Garcinia exocarp antioxidants, xanthones. Despite recognition by scientists for nearly 70 years, medical research on mangosteen has been sparse, with mainly chemical identity studies completed to date. Other research areas include antioxidant properties in vitro, antiinflammatory effects in vitro, possibly via a mechanism involving inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase-2, an enzyme in the inflammation pathway and neuroprotective properties in vitro. The research progress for mangosteen is ranked at only 2 out of 10.

The history of published medical research on noni phytochemicals totals 114 reports beginning in the 1950s. Just since 2000, 105 publications on noni appeared, defining a relatively young but active research field. However, while dietary research on other superfruits is predominated by studies of antioxidant phytochemicals and key health nutrients, these same research directions have not been pursued for noni, perhaps because the phytochemical content of noni is uninteresting. Instead, there have been preliminary isolations and in vitro descriptions of noni phytochemicals with vague health properties, such as anthraquinones, glycosides and polysaccharides. In the laboratory as in vitro or basic animal experiments, noni research is still preliminary to human studies necessary to establish expert-approved health claims, rating a 3.

Pomegranate is easily the most studied superfruit, with 42 scientific reports and five clinical trial projects examining anti-cancer and anti-atherosclerotic effects within the past year. The basic research studies cover disease topics, including antioxidant properties, particularly of punicalagins and ellagitannins; several types of cancer; high blood cholesterol; cardiovascular and brain vascular disorders; erectile dysfunction; microbial and viral infections; obesity; inflammation; and periodontal diseases. The index for research progress for pomegranate would be an 8.

Probably deterred by its high astringency, seaberry is poorly developed as a commercial superfruit, but has significant promise for medical research and product development due to its broad phytochemical and nutrient contents. Seaberry is the second-most studied superfruit after pomegranate, with 176 reports since 1951 and 19 papers since late 2006. The majority of seaberry research publications are from Europe or Asia, where the plant has a long history of horticultural and traditional therapeutic uses, and is being extensively planted to control erosion. Out of medical research studies reported on seaberry characteristics within the past year, the topics included isolation and definition of antioxidant chemical properties, effects on vitamin content resulting from processing methods, DNA protection, and characteristics of seed oil on injury models. All of the research is on preliminary animal models or in vitro preparations, and there have been no expert-reviewed clinical trials of seaberry published to date in Western literature. Seaberry would therefore qualify for a 5 in the research progress area.

Product development in the whole superfruit category has increased five-fold just in the past two years, with revenue estimated to grow to between $6 billion and $10 billion over the next several years. Berries specifically were ranked second as a subcategory for flavor preference behind chocolate, according to Innova Market Insights, which showed over 5,000 berry-flavored products in 2005.

According to Productscan, in 2006, these six superfruits had a total of 524 SKU introductions: açaí, 71; goji, 54; mangosteen, 10; noni, 45; pomegranate, 311; and seaberry, 33. The company expects the number of new product introductions for these superfruits to double by the end of 2008 compared to these new product launch levels in 2006. Additionally, an article on www.Brandweek.com cited Mintel Global Solutions as estimating there will be a worldwide total of 10,000 new superfruit products this year.

Sambazon’s 2006 açaí sales were reported in Inc. magazine at $12 million, a 12-fold growth over the last three years. Together with numerous other manufacturers of açaí juice, the category earns a performance index of 4.

Although sales data are not available for goji or seaberry, there are four major manufacturers of goji juice in the United States and one for seaberry juice, indicating a relatively immature industry for these fruits. Accordingly, a commercial performance index is 5 for goji and 2 for seaberry.

Both the noni and mangosteen juice subcategories are mature, although still growing. Annual revenues are estimated at $1 billion worldwide annually for each fruit. As noni juice manufacturers have been selling products since 1996, this fruit leads the category in age and size, earning a maximal performance index of 10. Mangosteen juice manufacturing has performed successfully since 2002, having an index of 8.

The pomegranate juice subcategory grew by 450 new products just in 2005 with Pom Wonderful’s sales alone totaling $80 million in revenues. An index of 7 is given to pomegranate as a product line still evolving rapidly.

The comparative ranking seen in tables 1 and 2 provides some interesting insights for the industry. First, the three top-ranked superfruits—goji, seaberry and açaí—are not well studied scientifically, indicating a need for greater research effort to better define potential health properties for each in this important class of plant foods. And the three lower-ranked exotic superfruits—pomegranate, noni and mangosteen—while also needing much further study of their nutritional and antioxidant qualities-have become commercially successful mainly due to promotional methods and use of fruit juice blends that make them palatable, popular and convenient. These factors should be considered to determine success of current and future superfruit products.

What’s next? Look for superfruit innovation in other mainstream categories, such as fortified waters, carbonated and alcoholic beverages, cereals, health bars, snack foods, desserts, cosmetics and hygiene products.