Antioxidants from superfruits and tea extracts

The credibility of superfruits is often higher than for functional foods and the willingness and interest in consuming these fruits continues to increase because many consumers are convinced they are good and healthy.

30/07/08 Superfruits such as pomegranate, açai berries and cranberries offer exciting, diverse tastes. The high content of secondary metabolites, or antioxidants, allow these fruits to portray a healthy image. Taste and health benefits come straight from the fruit – offering a clear, traceable benefit for consumers. Along with intense red superfruit extracts, WILD offers a basic pack containing natural antioxidants from tea extracts that is particularly suitable for use in light-colored drinks, dairy products and ice cream.

Superfruits are mainly red fruits, which have a particularly high level of natural antioxidants. Antioxidants are secondary metabolites from either the peel or the flesh of the fruit and neutralize oxygen-derived free radicals formed during metabolic processes. Antioxidants protect the cells in our bodies from oxidative stress, which is considered to be the cause of many illnesses.

Red and healthy
Various exotic fruits, such as pomegranate and açai berries, also belong to the superfruit category along with the classic cranberries and blueberries. The pomegranate originates in Persia, and is cultivated in Mediterranean countries, California, Afghanistan and Iran. This fruit, with its tasty red seeds, has a long tradition as a healthy food and is a symbol of life and fertility. Açai berries are the dark purple berries from a type of palm that primarily grows in the lower Amazon region. Açai is particularly known for its nutritious juice. The bittersweet cranberry originates in North America. Ripe cranberries are bright red and are used in food and drinks either as a purée or juice.

The ORAC (ORAC = oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value is a measurement for determining the antioxidant potential of superfruits – i.e., their effectiveness in absorbing oxygen-derived free radicals.

According to experts, superfruits enjoy a specific image because they are perceived as healthy foods. The credibility of superfruits is often higher than for functional foods and the willingness and interest in consuming these fruits continues to increase because many consumers are convinced they are good and healthy – even if they have never seen the fruits previously. Superfruits are already being viewed as functional foods.

Versatile and flexible
Superfruits can be used where exotic tastes, naturalness and health are in demand – across the entire spectrum of the beverage, dairy and confectionery industries. As a juice, fruit juice drink, pure juice smoothie, exotic açai yogurt drink, acerola fruit bar or cranberry-yogurt chocolate.

Antioxidant concept for light-colored products
Superfruits are now firmly established as a source of antioxidants; however, the intense red color narrows the usage to red or dark-colored products. WILD has now succeeded in creating a basic pack containing polyphenols that can also be used in light-colored products. Beverages, dairy products and baked goods can now benefit from the antioxidant effect of polyphenols from tea through the usage of extracts.

WILD’s basic pack offers manufacturers the chance to considerably expand their range of products with added health benefits. The basic pack is ideal for enriching color for any cloudy drink ranging from yellow to red. The antioxidant concept is perfect for use in tea drinks, dairy products, fruit bars and ice cream. WILD’s basic pack contains a high, standardized level of natural polyphenols from various tea extracts.

Flavor system or powder
The antioxidant concept offers manufacturers diverse applications. While it is ideal for smoothies and other fruit drinks, it can also be used for tea drinks ranging in color from red through to yellow-orange. This flavor system from tea extracts can also be used to enrich ice cream or dairy products with natural functional ingredients. WILD also offers the basic pack with standardized polyphenol content as a powder that is ideal for incorporating into pastry or cereal bars.

Companies using WILD’s basic pack have the option of using product claims such as “Contains polyphenols with an antioxidant effect” or “Contains polyphenols that help protect the body”.

Natural functionality
Both superfruits and the antioxidant basic pack are “natural functionality”. During development, WILD's experts always focus on naturalness, health and great taste. These three aspects are united in the antioxidant concepts from WILD, the largest private producer of natural ingredients for the food and beverage industry.