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In 2004, the term ''superfoods'' was popularized by a best-selling book discussing 14 whole foods with extraordinary nutrition.[1] One – the blueberry – became known as a 'superfruit'[2] when its exceptional antioxidant properties were revealed by publication of United States Department of Agriculture assays on antioxidant strength, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC for 100 common foods. Wild blueberries ("lowbush", ''Vaccinium angustifolium'') were at the top of the 2004 rankings for fruit.[3] By refinement of the ORAC assay and new analyses published in 2005-6, other berry fruits, such as açaí,[3], wolfberry (goji berry)[3], chokeberry and black raspberry, have superseded blueberries on the antioxidant rankings, attention possibly caused by growing consumer interest in superfruits.
Between 2004–2007, superfruits have been called "the future of health" [6],
"fruits of the future",[7] and "superheroes of functionality"[8] indicating industry enthusiasm for novel product development. More than a dozen industry publications on functional foods and beverages have referred to various exotic or antioxidant species as superfruits (see References). Despite approximately 900 new product introductions in 2006[8], this category has not yet been defined.
Significance
Superfruits are a leading category of common and rare fruits providing raw materials and ingredients for the global industries of functional foods, beverages and nutraceuticals. The functional food industry has been estimated to have a 2006 commercial value of US$20 billion in the United States.[10]
Working definition
As a term, superfruit may have two meanings according to interest — one for its commercial success, and another for its health properties. Below, these together combine for 14 criteria needing some degree of uniform fulfillment to qualify a superfruit.
Definition by commercial success or promise
In his report, 'Superfruit: eight key case studies in marketing healthy fruit,' natural products author, Julian Mellentin, described Pom Wonderful's emerging success story as a superfruit prototype: "Pom Wonderful combines innovative packaging, clever merchandising and delicious taste to deliver a health benefit — but a health benefit that is communicated softly."
"A soft sell may be important but a fruit would not be given superfruit status unless a specific health benefit was established or expected, if not stated explicitly on the package-front itself", said Karl Crawford, food business development leader of a New Zealand-based fruit science company.
Crawford stated that pomegranate—until this recent superfruit category received attention in markets of industrialized countries—was unpopular with a reputation for average taste and difficulty for eating. Since 2004, however, pomegranate has made its 'value-added' transformation into a superfruit juice, as Pom Wonderful is a $90 million brand (2005-6) with rising sales.
Similarly, XanGo, a multiple-fruit juice containing mangosteen juice, has grown from $40 million in 2002 sales to over $200 million in 2005.[11]
To begin consideration of commercial characteristics that may apply to defining a superfruit are the following 8 criteria related to market success or promise
# Novelty judged by consumers
# Appeal to consumers (visual, aromatic, taste, physical, perceived health benefit)
# Supply by growers, processors and shipping capabilities
# Production by farmers and manufacturers
# Convenience of using the raw material
# Promotion, marketing and distribution
# Sales year over year
# Growth potential
With more than 5,000 new product launches in 2005 on berries alone,[12] an annual growth rate in Europe of more than 25% for sales of rare fruits,[13] and at least 500 new exotic fruit products in development,[14] the superfruit category is poised to make significant commercial impact in 2007 and future years.
Definition by potential for health properties
Although a superfruit category has not been defined scientifically, its foundation presumably would involve characteristics of 1) high nutrient density, 2) superior antioxidant quality, 3) potential health benefits and/or 4) ease with which the fruit can be further designed through breeding to contain characteristics demanded by consumers, such as flavor, appearance, fragrance and health benefits.
Evidence for these third and fourth criteria would include intensity of the current research effort and/or preliminary evidence for lowered disease risk in human subjects (“disease impact”).
# Nutrient density
# Antioxidant strength
# Capability to affect other molecules, biomarkers and cell or organ function in a well-designed laboratory experiment
# Capability for horticultural breeding to modify the fruit's characteristics for improved nutrient and/or phytochemical composition
# Intensity of current basic medical research and, if applicable, status of existing human clinical trials
# Potential for disease impact
A preliminary list of health benefits shows that blackcurrants, blueberries, Rubus berries and pomegranates rank highly as potential superfruits[1].
Candidate superfruits
Summarized from literature in References
Common name, botanical name, main country(ies) of origin supplying the commercial market
★ Açaí (''Euterpe oleracea''), Brazil
★ Blueberry (''Vaccinium angustifolium'' and ''Vaccinium corymbosum''), Canada (Nova Scotia), United States (Maine, New Jersey, Michigan)
★ Cranberry (''Vaccinium macrocarpon''), United States (New Jersey, Wisconsin, Washington)
★ Grape (red, ''Vitis vinifera''), Parts of central Asia, Europe (native), United States (California)
★ Guarana (''Paullinia cupana''), Brazil, Venezuela
★ Mangosteen (''Garcinia mangostana''), South Pacific Islands, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines
★ Noni (''Morinda citrifolia''), South Pacific Islands
★ Pomegranate (''Punica granatum''), Mediterranean Region, United States (California)
★ Seabuckthorn (''Hippophae rhamnoides''), China
★ Wolfberry (“goji”, ''Lycium barbarum''), China
Common berries, such as strawberries (''Fragaria vesca''), red raspberries (''Rubus idaeus'') and blackberries (''Rubus ursinus'') used for a large number of consumer products, achieve many of the criteria to be superfruits. They are, however, sufficiently known in the public, so do not attract interest as novelty fruits and are not usually included in discussions about superfruits.
Other superfruit candidates currently include blackcurrant (''Ribes nigrum''), cupuaçu (''Theobroma grandiflorum''), guava (''Psidium'', many species), lychee (''Litchi chinensis''), pomelo (''Citrus maxima''), saskatoon berry (''Amelanchier alnifolia'', Nutt), tamarind (''Tamarindus indica''), durian (''Durio kutejensis'') and yuzu (''Citrus ichangensis x C. reticulata''), collectively for which there is insufficient commercial information to include at present.
Similarly, as discovered in Australia, several fruit species mostly unknown to science have characteristics possibly qualifying them for superfruit status.[15]
Notes
1. Superfoods Rx, Pratt S, Matthews K, , , Harper Collins, 2004,
2.
★ Wild Blueberry Association of North America
3.
4.
5.
6. Superfruits, the Future of Health Karl Crawford
7. Fruits of the Future? Kyle Bradley
8. Superfruits — superheroes of functionality Shane Starling
9. Superfruits — superheroes of functionality Shane Starling
10. The Functional Food and Nutraceutical Industry
11. Pressure Group Denounces Super Fruit Juices Clarisse Douaud
12. Fletcher A. Superfruits set to dominate flavor market, 2006
13. Demand for exotic fruits set to increase in 2006, report
14. Lidsky D. The superfruits are coming, 2006
15. Is Down Under the new Amazon for superfruits? Stephen Daniells
References
General
★ McNally A. Superfoods market set to double by 2011, 2007
★ Bradley K. Super popular food, 2007
★ Lidsky D. The superfruits are coming, 2006
★ Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Amazon superfruits set to boom, 2006
★ Gross PM. Exploring exotic antioxidant superfruits, 2006
★ Halliday J. Superfruits could wrestle gut health beverages from dairy, 2006
★ Douaud C. Pressure group denounces superfruit juices, 2006
★ Changes to novel food laws aim to simplify application process, 2006
★ Fletcher A. EU novel foods consultation nears deadline, 2006
★ Fletcher A. Superfruits set to dominate flavor market, 2006
★ Heller L. Superfruits and grains to set next functional trend?, 2006
★ Demand for exotic fruits set to increase in 2006, report
★ Mellentin J. Marketing wellness: fruit in the food and beverage industry, 2006
★ Mellentin J. Ten key trends in functional foods 2006, ''New Nutrition Business'', The Centre for Food & Health Studies Ltd., London, UK, 2006.
★ Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, search for superfruit articles
Açaí
★ Starling S. Acai positioned to tap fruitful market, 2007
★ Halliday, J. Danisco backs superfruits with açaí flavour, 2007
★ Gross PM. Açaí – Potent antioxidant superfruit, 2007
Blueberry
★ Mazza G. Compositional and functional properties of saskatoon berry and blueberry. ''Int. J. Fruit Sci.'' 2005, 5(3):99-118.
Goji (wolfberry)
★ Gross PM. Goji - What it is... and isn't, 2007
★ Young, Gary; Ronald Lawrence; and Marc Schreuder (2005). ''Discovery of the Ultimate Superfood'', Orem, Utah, United States: Essential Science Publishing. ISBN 0943685443.
★ Gross, Paul M.; Xiaoping Zhang; and Richard Zhang (2006). ''Wolfberry: Nature's Bounty of Nutrition & Health'', Charleston, South Carolina, United States: BookSurge Publishing. ISBN 1419620487; ISBN 9781419620485.
★ Gross PM. Goji's dozen friends of eye health, 2006
Mangosteen
★ Gross PM. Is mangosteen a superfruit? Nutrient and antioxidant properties, 2007
Noni
★ FSA calls for noni juice approval, 2006
Pomegranate
★ Gross PM. Pomegranate punicalagins: ancient aril antioxidants, 2007
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