Uncle Matt’s Organic^®, #1 selling brand of organic orange juice in the US, is bringing a new functional juice-based beverage to its portfolio. Introducing Uncle Matt’s Organic^® Superfruit Punch! With its impressive blend of real superfruits, including dark sweet cherries, blueberries, and black elderberry, this delicious beverage will captivate the taste buds of the entire family. The antioxidant boosted beverage is just 45 calories per 8 oz serving and has no cane sugar, preservatives, or added flavours. Uncle Matt’s Organic^® Superfruit Punch is available now in a 52 oz bottle as well as a shelf-stable 8-pack of 6.75 oz Juice Boxes at select retailers in the US including Whole Foods and Sprouts and at Shop.UncleMatts.com.

“We are thrilled with our newest better-for-you boosted beverage, Uncle Matt’s Organic^® Superfruit Punch,” said Susan McLean, VP of Marketing and Innovation at Uncle Matt’s Organic^®. “With 100 % Vitamin C from the acerola cherry plus polyphenols and flavonoids from the cherries, blueberries and elderberries, this antioxidant-rich beverage is a great way to increase your intake of essential nutrients and quench your thirst at the same time. I think we made a delicious no sugar added punch that is both parent and kid-approved!”

Superfruit Punch fast facts:

• 45 calories per 8 oz serving/40 calories per 6.75 oz juice box
• 100 % DV Vitamin C per serving from the acerola cherry
• Antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids from dark sweet cherries, blueberries, black elderberry, and acerola cherry
• USDA certified organic
• No Toxic Pesticides, GMOs or artificial junk
• Certified glyphosate residue free by The Detox Project
• Vegan, Kosher

Symrise continues to develop its health expertise with the launch of a new range of aronia health actives. The range contains an aronia extract and aronia juice powder, both standardized in polyphenols and anthocyanins. The company has filed a patent application for the aronia extract, which has a unique polyphenols profile in addition to strong multiple cellular antioxidant effects. This range expands the diana food^™ portfolio of health actives, which forms a part of the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment.

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa), also known as black chokeberry, contains a high concentration of potent antioxidants such as polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins. Plants produce these antioxidants to protect themselves from environmental stress. While few consumers know aronia, this little berry can be characterized as a superfruit and thus as a key component of the better-for-you health trend. Literature has well-documented the antioxidative properties of aronia. This relates specifically to cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and immune system support. Symrise has demonstrated the specific cellular antioxidative properties of the aronia extract on different cell types, including intestinal cells, using a novel cellular model.

Under the diana food^™ portfolio brand of health actives, the aronia extract comes with a unique polyphenols profile: high total polyphenolic content, high proanthocyanins content, and a specific proanthocyanidins-to-anthocyanins ratio. The carrier-free, free-flowing aronia extract in powder form features a minimum of both fifty percent total polyphenols and ten percent anthocyanins. Suggested applications include capsules, tablets, powder sticks, nutritional shots, and supplement gummies. The spray-dried, soluble aronia juice powder features a minimum of both two percent total polyphenols and 0.2 percent anthocyanins. Applications for the juice powder include powder drinks, healthy beverages, snacks, and foods.

Indena’s Mirtoselect^® can improve tear secretion and plasmatic antioxidant potential, as confirmed by Schirmer’s tests value after 4 weeks of supplementation.

A new randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study published in European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences¹ highlighted that Mirtoselect^®, the Indena proprietary standardized bilberry extract containing 36 % anthocyanins, may have an important role in preserving adequate acqueous levels in people possibly experiencing dry eye conditions.

Aim of the study was to investigate the ability of bilberry extract to maintain adequate tear levels and to confirm its antioxidant potential. 21 healthy subjects experiencing dry eye have been enrolled and randomly assigned to receive Mirtoselect^® supplementation (2 tablets corresponding to 160mg) daily or placebo for 4 weeks. The results of Schimer’s test – indicating the volume of tear secretion – before and after the 4-week period showed significant improvements in the mean values for right eye (+71 %, p=0.009) and both eyes (+ 55 % p=0.019) as well as a beneficial tendency for the left eye (+ 43 %, p=0.062) in the supplemented group. In the placebo group, the mean values of Schimer’s test at the end of the treatment were not significant.

“Aged people or those exposed to certain stress conditions for the eye (i.e. dust or dry environment) may experience discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential impairment of the ocular surface”² – commented Antonella Riva, Product Research Manager at Indena. – “Mirtoselect^® is supported by a strong clinical literature, confirming its efficacy profile in the realm of vascular health and ophthalmology. This last study opens a new application for our bilberry extract in subjects with visual fatigue and a higher tendency of dry eye. The observed antioxidant potential is of a great importance due to the fact that a potential relationship between dry eye and relative oxygen species is reported”.

References
¹ Riva A. et al, The effect of a natural, standardized bilberry extract (Mirtoselect^®) in dry eye: a randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled trial, European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2017; 21: 2518-2525.
² Dry Eye Workshop (DEWS) DED definition, 2017.