** [NOTE: for additional background and published literature, see Wikipedia links with this color] **

In 2004, the term “superfoods” was popularized by a best-selling book (1) proposing 14 whole foods with extraordinary nutrition. One – blueberries – became known as a “superfruit” (2) when its exceptional antioxidant properties were revealed by publication of USDA data on food antioxidant strength, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC, ranking blueberries near the top of common plant foods (in 2004, that is; the rankings are different now, click here).

More than a dozen industry publications for functional foods and beverages have referred to various exotic or antioxidant species as “superfruits”, yet this category presently does not have a working definition.

Identifying Superfruits

The following list is not intended to be comprehensive, but gives names and main geographic origins for fruits (regions of growers, manufacturers and products) typically included in this category over 2004-present

(Alphabetical order below. Articles from the Berry Doctor's Journal in red, weblinks in blue, Wikipedia articles in purple)

Among the 10 superfruits named most often in industry publications

are seven berries

1. Açaí (Euterpe oleracea), Brazil

2. Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), Canada/USA

3. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), USA

4. Grape (red, Vitis vinifera), USA

5. Guaraná (Paullinia cupana), Brazil, Venezuela

6. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), South Pacific Islands, Malaysia

7. Noni (Morinda citrifolia), South Pacific Islands

8. Pomegranate (Punica granatum), Mediterranean Region, USA

9. Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), China

10. Wolfberry (“goji”, Lycium barbarum), China

Common berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries used for a large number of consumer products, achieve many of the criteria. They are, however, sufficiently known in the public, so do not attract interest as novelty fruits and are not usually included among superfruits.

Other superfruit candidates currently include cupuaçu, guava, lychee, pomelo, saskatoon berry, tamarind and yuzu for which there is insufficient commercial information to include in this group. Hint: Use Wikipedia to search for information on each of these rare fruits.

Guaraná (Paullinia cupana), whose seeds contain a caffeine-like compound used

as an ingredient in novel energy beverages

Commerce

With more than 5,000 new product launches on berries in 2005, an annual growth rate in Europe of more than 25% for sales, and at least 500 new products in development, the superfruit category is poised to make significant commercial impact.

Commercial factors that help define this category are novelty, consumer appeal (taste, aroma, color, shape, perceived benefit), reliability of supply, variety of uses as an ingredient, promotion and sales, growth rate in the industry, etc.

Although a superfruit category has not been defined scientifically, its foundation presumably would involve characteristics of 1) high nutrient density, 2) superior antioxidant quality, and/or 3) potential health benefits. Evidence for this third criterion would include intensity of the current research effort and/or preliminary evidence for lowered disease risk in human subjects (“disease impact”).

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Dr. Paul
The Berry Doctor