Ingredients
Blueberries: the Fruit of the Century
There’s a reason why the past ten decades
can be characterized as the Century of
the Blueberry. It all began with a woman
named Elizabeth White, daughter of a
New Jersey cranberry grower, who was
determined to cultivate blueberries. A
shrub of the genus Vaccinium, blueberries
are one of the few fruits native to North
America. Native Americans and the
early colonists prized blueberries for
their taste, nutritional value, medicinal
uses and health benefits. With Dr.
Frederick V. Colville, scientist and author
of “Experiments in Blueberry Culture,”
White selected and propagated the best
blueberry plants from New Jersey’s wild
Pinelands to develop the plump, delicious
fruit known today as the highbush
blueberry. She introduced highbush
blueberries to the New York farmers
market. The actual highbush centennial
celebration is 2016 which makes this the
optimum time for manufacturers to begin
thinking of ways to celebrate one hundred
years of blueberries.
The rest, as they say, is history!
Today, the perception of blueberries as
healthy ingredients has led to a surge in
the popularity and sales of blueberries
in all their forms. Consumers want to
include blueberries in their daily diet;
food processors and savvy product
developers are including them in many
new products. Manufacturers have
discovered that using blueberries and
blueberry formats to provide sweetness
offers the dual advantage of sweetening
and enriching the product naturally
plus the ability to tout the nutritional
benefits of their products, thanks to the
inclusion of natural blueberries. Products
with blueberries on the label and in the
ingredient statement convey an instant
message of “wholesome” and “natural.”
New blueberry products surged to over
1300 in 2012 and included everything
from baby formulations to millennial
choices and grown-up options. The health
and nutritional benefits of blueberries
have resulted in a surge of blueberry
products worldwide, from Latin America
and Europe to the Middle East, Africa
and Asia Pacific (see World New Blueberry
Product Introductions, http://www.blueberry.
org/New%20Products/2012-new-prods/
north-america.htm#World)
beverages, dressed up breakfast cereals,
waltzed into sauces, zoomed excitement
through the dairy case and even delighted
the family pet with blueberry containing
artisan crafted treats – bites, pecks, nibbles
for special treats. Blueberry protein bars
for dogs, and even blueberry containing
pet birthday cakes are on the make. One
company, has a blueberry bar to share
called a “Yaff” bar for “You + Your
Dog” using human grade ingredients.
The blueberry health message has come
a long way!
Some product trends that harness
blueberries’ star qualities include fruity
flavor paired with mint or floral, as in
the blueberry mojito flavor; teas as a base
for fruit flavors such as blueberry with
lemon; flavor combinations with spices,
botanicals, floral, citrus and herbaceous
in which blueberries complement and
enhance as well as balance flavors.
Examples include a new generation of
“jarred” blueberries popular throughout
Asia and a promising blueberry milk
product from Scandinavia touted as
the first blood-pressure lowering food
product and is being extensively studied
by the Finnish National public Health
Institute (see http://www.blueberry.org/
norway/health.htm#blood.
Blueberry sweetness adds excitement
to the smoky qualities of sauces and
salsas. From the Incas and Aztecs to
European confectionary traditions, the
cacao bean has had an affinity for fruit;
and so the fruitiness of blueberries shines
in chocolate-based desserts, candies and
confections of all kinds.
Popular as both healthy and delicious for
all age groups and life styles, blueberries
brightened energy bars, sparkled in sports
Some of the more interesting examples of
blueberry use include an ice cream cone
with real blueberry bits; blueberry salsas
Photos: US Highbush Blueberry Council
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food Marketing & Technology • October 2014
Ingredients
and sauces paired with nontraditional
seasonings like tarragon and cider
vinegar; blueberry computer pills; a
pancake mix with dried blueberries; and
a traditional candy with a very modern
blueberry twist, Blueberry Wagashi from
Japan. Offering outstanding eye appeal
and mouthfeel, blueberries are both
beautiful and sensual.
This year food product developers are
taking advantage of the quasi-mythical
power of blueberries-as-imprimatur and
are using blueberries to rev up interest in
offerings from beauty-from-within foods
to health-halo desserts, confections and
snacks. Appealingly plump cultivated
blueberries have become almost
synonymous with good health. Thanks to
all the good news about antioxidants and
health benefits, blueberries have a place at
the forefront of the superfruit mystique.
Because consumers identify blueberries
as irrefutably beneficial, they seek them
out in blueberry-containing products
as well as ingredients in themselves. So
powerful is the blueberries-are-goodfor-you message that the simple fact that
they are included in the ingredient mix
is used to certify the healthy attributes
of a product.
The wide range of formats allows
formulators to incorporate blueberries
in many ways, including healthy breads,
beauty-from-within snacks, bars and
pastries. Blueberries are the formulation
choice for luscious color, true flavor,
bright, bold possibilities, and their certain
global appeal. Incorporating 100 per cent
U. S. fruit assures the highest quality
and integrity. Fresh fruits including
blueberries contain many naturally
occurring antioxidants and consequently
are a good choice for consumers looking
to protect their bodies against the
damaging effects of free radicals and
chronic diseases associated with the aging
process.
As new research is introduced on the
goodness of blueberries, popularity
continues to expand. Blueberries offer
functional aspects combined with the
attractiveness and benefits of natural
ingredients. They are often classified as
“superfruits,” a category characterized
by a variety of phytonutrients:
however, many contain high amounts
6
of flavonoids such as anthocyanins
which give blueberries their deep color
and also provide antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity. Oxidation and
inflammation may be components of
various chronic diseases, thus components
in superfruits may help protect against
such diseases. Many studies looking at
this aspect have been in vitro or animal
studies, so more human clinical trials
are needed to provide further support.
Fruits like blueberries contain many
naturally occurring antioxidants such
as Vitamins C and E. Antioxidants are
thought to help protect the body against
the damaging effects of free radicals and
the chronic diseases associated with the
aging process.
However “Superfruits” are defined,
blueberries are always among the list of
the best of them. In Dr. Steven Pratt’s book,
SuperFoods RX, he identifies blueberries
as one of the major “Superfoods” for
their nutritious effects. In fact he calls
them “Brainberries” and cites animal
studies in which researchers have found
that blueberries help protect the brain
from oxidative stress and may reduce
the effects of age-related conditions. (See
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/eat-smarthealthier-brain).
Consumers consider blueberries a valueadded ingredient. There are some in the
marketplace who take advantage of the
blueberry name but formulate with
flavored and colored bits and slurries
that contain little or no real blueberry.
Flavored and colored gums, fats, grains,
and some less expensive fruits are used
to try to represent blueberries, but they
are not real blueberries. Pictures of
blueberries are shown on the label and
blueberry is used in the product name,
but the product isn’t what it appears to
be. There is no substitute for real, honestto-goodness authentic blueberries. As
consumers become increasingly aware
of blueberries and their benefits, they
welcome products with the real fruit,
its unmatchable taste and healthy
properties.
With fruity, burst in the mouth flavor
and healthy profile, blueberries give
products lush taste, broad appeal and
a clean label. Virtually fat-free, low in
sodium, carbohydrates and cholesterol,
blueberries are a delicious source of
Vitamin C and manganese. Fresh fruits
including blueberries contain many
naturally occurring antioxidants and
consequently are a good choice for
consumers looking to protect their bodies
against the damaging effects of free
radicals and chronic diseases associated
with the aging process. Attached is
specific information on recent research
and reports selected by Research Scientist
Dr. Ron Prior, PhD, with support from the
U.S.Highbush Blueberry Council. Reports
include research on blueberries and
aging, bone health, brain function, eye
health and many other topics. For topics
table, web links and descriptions, visit
the online blueberry research database
: http://www.blueberrytech.org/research/
research-database.htm Every day it seems
there are new and encouraging reports
about the health benefits of blueberries,
truly the fruit of the century.
Key No. 84649
food Marketing & Technology • October 2014