Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice

Fruits of Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa in the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Currently, there are no data in literature about any unwanted and toxic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruits, juice and extracts.

Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice and anthocyanins derived from the fruits have been studied intensively for the last 15 years. Aronia melanocarpa fruits are one of the richest plant sources of phenolic substances, mainly anthocyanins-glycosides of cyanidin. The fruit of black chokeberry has higher levels of antioxidants (anthocyanins and flavonoids) than any other temperate fruit.

Based on a review of the impact of production and breeding practices on quality of fruits for use as food colorants, Jeppsson 1999 developed these guidelines for Swedish breeding efforts: (1) increase production of anthocyanins; (2) decrease content of brown compounds in relation to anthocyanins; (3) increase stability of the pigment in the fruits; and (4) decrease the content of tannins in the fruit. All of this leads to confusion in commerce as well as in taxonomy, because many plants sold as black chokeberry are valued for their red fall foliage color; in actuality, these may be interspecific hybrids. The fruits are particularly high in anthocyanins, which give the berries their dark blue to black color (

The black aronia species contains higher levels of anthocyanins than purple (Aronia prunifolia) or red aronia (Aronia arbutifolia), whereas red and purple aronia are richer in phenolic acid and proanthocyanins. In eastern North America are two well-known species, named after their fruit color, red chokeberry and black chokeberry, plus a purple chokeberry whose origin is a natural hybrid of the two. Chokeberries are often mistakenly called chokecherries , the common name for Prunus virginiana Further adding to the ambiguity, a variety of Prunus virginiana is melanocarpa, 9 and readily confused with black chokeberry because it is commonly referred to as "black chokeberry" or "aronia".

Compare: A similar plant is Red Chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, whose leaves are slightly larger, hairy initially, and the fruit is red. It is noted for its 5-6 flowered clusters of white 5-petaled spring (May) flowers, glossy elliptic to obovate dark green leaves (to 2-3” long) with finely toothed margins, black autumn berries (blueberry size) and purple/red fall color. Aronia melanocarpa (A. melanocarpa) berries contain anthocyanins and have high antioxidant activities.

Total anthocyanin content in chokeberries is 1480 mg per 100 g of fresh berries, and proanthocyanidin concentration is 664 mg per 100 g. Both values are among the highest measured in plants to date. In the U.S., aronia berries are used in mass-marketed juice blends for color and marketed for their antioxidant properties.

Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of Aronia melanocarpa fruit juice in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The effect of cultivar and cracking on the fruit quality in black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and the hybrids between chokeberry and rowan (Soubzis).