Daily Nonpareil Online >  Council Bluffs > ‘Super food’ has own festival.

There is a great deal of discussion over the ORAC comparison between Acai and Aronia.  USDA reported a Total ORAC value (Hydrophilic + Lipophillic Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) for Aronia of over 16,000 micromoles Trolox Equivalents per 100 grams of fruit.  Some websites suggest that Acai is significantly less.

See the attached USDA reports. USDA Food ORAC 2007; USDA Food ORAC 2010

Among marketers of Aronia tea in Europe is PreisRoboter.de 

http://www.preisroboter.de

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Gebrüder Wollenhaupt GmbH rooibos tea – ARONIA ACEROLA-100g

Europe continues to dominate aronia berry product launches.

Depending on your location, Aronia will flower between late April and mid-May.  Flowers will persist for about 3 to 7 days. Many species of bees pollinate the flowers but Aronia is apomictic and does not require pollination for fruit production.

Fruit begins setting and developing throughout June to August.  Fruit progressively turns from green to red to purple during this time period. For the most part, the fruit ripens at the same time, with some stragglers.

In Maryland, harvest is usually between the middle and end of August and should be based upon the increasing Brix content of the fruit.  There is a large variation in the Brix dependent, based upon presently unknown factors, possibly genetic and/or environmental.  Fruit should be picked at maximum Brix before senescence, which starts as fruit begins to wrinkle as it dries on the plant.

A new alternative crop is being studied by University of Maryland Extension for organic fruit production.  The Black Chokeberry or Aronia, to which it is commonly referred, is an eastern U.S native with a long history of fruit production in Eastern Europe.  The Aronia fruit is about the size of a large blueberry and comes in clusters of about 10 to 20, making them relatively easy to pick. A mature plant (about 7 to 8 years) can yield over 15 lbs, but they start fruiting (averaging 3 or 4 lbs of fruit per plant) within two growing seasons after planting.

Interestingly, the fruit itself is more closely related to an apple and is dark purple in color. The color is attributed to high concentrations of flavonoids including anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. Due to health-promoting effects, there is great interest in fruits and vegetables containing high concentrations of flavonoids, which are considered potent antioxidants.  Recent studies have shown that Aronia has a very high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) compared to other foods, including blueberries.  The fruit has potentially strong beneficial properties for health with regards to the function of coronary arteries, and still other studies suggest antimicrobial properties for urinary tract health, colon cancer-fighting properties and possibly aiding in the management of diabetes.  To date, no major human health studies have been published, so these potential benefits are only inferred from in vitro research.

Several food products can be made from the Aronia fruit including juice, juice extracts, jelly, and wine.  It is true that some processing of the fruit is necessary to overcome some of the fruit’s astringent qualities which probably stem from the flavonoid or tannin content. However, these qualities, considered nutraceutical, heighten Aronia’s marketability and sales potential as a value added product for Maryland farmers.

Aronia berry extracts may enhance blood flow: Human data.

Approximately sixty potential new growers attended a meeting on Aronia on August 23rd at the Wye Research and Education Center.  Sudeep Mathew and Andrew G. Ristvey from Maryland Extension led the discussion.  It is anticipated that at least thirty new Maryland farmers will join the increasing number of Aronia growers on the Eastern Shore.

Aronia melanocarpa extract reduces blood press… [Med Sci Monit. 2010] – PubMed – NCBI.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Natives: red chokeberry (Photinia pyrifolia (Aronia arbutifolia)).