01/03/2009 - URC® fruit products rich in antioxidants

Antioxidant rich URC®

Independent laboratory testing has confirmed that URC® fruit pieces and flakes demonstrate antioxidant capacity comparable to fresh raw blueberries.

Using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) method to test a range of URC® products, URC® pieces including mixed berry, blackcurrant, acai and blueberry were found to have ORAC values ranging from 71 - 79 µmol of Trolox Equivalents per gram.

This is comparable to the commonly accepted ORAC of 66 µmol TE /g for fresh raw blueberries which have recently gained ‘super fruit’ status because of their high antioxidant capacity.

Dietary antioxidants from fruit can play an important role in reducing the risk of diseases such as inflammation, cardio-vascular disease, cancer and age-related disorders. Today’s consumers are increasingly aware of the benefits of antioxidants and actively seeking products with these features.

Figures from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) indicate that more and more products are emphasizing a product’s antioxidant content on the label, with 135 launches in Europe of products labeled ‘antioxidants’ in 2008, compared to 111 in 2007, and only 37 in 2006.

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