What's happening in the blueberry FoodTech World

Friday, February 2, 2018

American Made Blueberry Extract!


Now -- This is exciting!  An American made blueberry extract from Futureceuticals (Van Drunen Farms, Momence, Illinois.   

Background: I recently did a search of the Alibaba (Chinese mega B2B platform) with the term: "blueberry extract."  It resulted in more than 14,000 products.  I did same with Watson's the mega pharmacy in Hong Kong which is found throughout Asia -- it resulted in another 500 blueberry extract products.  



These are products called blueberry extract, which are normally made from extraction of bilberries which are the European cousin of the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium Myrtillus).   This species grows wild in mountains and forests throughout Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Scandinavia.   Huge quantities are frozen and shipped to China for extraction and production of extracts and powders.  



 Several years ago, a researchers at a major Chinese university conducted studies that indicated that many of the commercial blueberry extracts and powders had little or no potency.


Recently a new generation of "blueberry extracts" have evolved including my favorite in Japan produced by Wakasa Seikatsu.   Any American visitor to Japan can attest that their "Blueberry Commercials" are quite convincing!  Seem to be broadcast 24 hrs. a day.  Note the price of 1,880 Japanese Yen ($17) for a small pack about the size of the moist towlettes provided at your neighborhood rib joint!  

Not to be confused with my all time favorite MLB pitcher - Vida Blue!

Now Back to Vita Blue.  Currently the product is sold as an ingredient, not a finished product.   The Made in the USA label is extremely important to product developers in foods, pet foods, nonfood and cosmetics.   Even the Chinese are getting excited about this!

What does it mean to US blueberry producers.   This is a big development that can and will use a lot of blueberry to create extractions.   It gives the US an entry to serve the natural cosmetic business and other nutraceutical uses at home and around the world.

You will be hearing a lot about this in the future!





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