Featured Fruit Product: IQF Blueberry

Blueberries are the fruits of a shrub that belong to the heath family, which includes the cranberry and bilberry as well as the azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Blueberries grow in clusters and range in size from that of a small pea to a marble. Their deep color, ranging from blue to maroon to purple-black, is key to the color compounds that provide blueberry's multitude of health benefits.

HISTORY

Blueberries are indigenous to North America, but today have become a global superfruit with significant production in many major temperate growing areas of the world.

There are approximately 30 different species of blueberries with different ones growing throughout various regions. For example, the Cultivated Highbush variety can be found throughout the Eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida, the Wild Lowbush variety throughout the Northeast and Eastern Canada, and the Evergreen variety throughout states in the Pacific Northwest.

While blueberries played an important role in North American Indian food culture, they were not consumed in great amounts by the colonists until the mid-19th century. Blueberries were not cultivated until the beginning of the 20th century, becoming commercially available in 1916.

Blueberries are most commonly available as industrial ingredients in the form of purees, juices, concentrates, IQF and dried powers

HEALTH BENEFITS

Blueberries are a great fruit source for Vitamin C, and provides a nutritious and colorful fruit ingredient for a wide variety of food and beverage products. Blueberries are also a great source of fiber and important minerals like Manganese.

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Blueberries contain several key antioxidant phytonutrients , like anthocyanidins, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavonols, tannins which help to neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues.

These key compounds, including items like ellagic acid and kaempferol help fight numerous cancers, and also promote improved cardiovascular health, improved vision and gastrointestinal health.

Anthocyanins, the blue-red pigments found in blueberries, improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system. Anthocyanins have been shown to enhance the effects of vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix (the ground substance of all body tissues).

The soluble and insoluble fiber in blueberries, in conjunction with the phytochemicals, help promote improved bowel and urinary tract health.

Encore Fruit Marketing can provide an excellent source of IQF Blueberry to help consumer products deliver one of the 5 A Day fruit servings.

IQF Blueberry is carefully processed from fresh, blueberries to provide the essential nutrition and color, in a convenient, ready to use ingredient form. IQF Blueberry is an excellent ingredient to add a superfruit serving to your retail label for beverages, dairy products, sauces and other processed foods like nutrition bars and snacks.

Contact Encore Fruit Marketing today for product samples and information at sales@encorefruit.com