Patrizia Riso

Several studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of consuming red raspberries on human health thanks to their high content of phytochemicals. However, the products used in these studies, both in the raw or freeze-dried form, were not fully characterized for nutrient and phytochemical composition. In this study, we aimed to determine the nutrient and non-nutrient compounds present in a freeze-dried red raspberry powder widely used by the food industry and consumers. The main sugars identified were fructose (12%), glucose (11%), and sucrose (11%). Twelve fatty acids were detected, with linoleic acid (46%), α-linolenic acid (20%), and oleic acid (15%) being the most abundant. Regarding micronutrients, vitamin C was the main hydro-soluble vitamin, while minerals, potassium, phosphorous, copper and magnesium were the most abundant, with concentrations ranging from 9 up to 96 mg/100 g, followed by manganese, iron and zinc, detected in the range 0.1–0.9 mg/100 g. Phytochemical analysis using UHPLC-DAD-HR-MS detection revealed the presence of Sanguiin H6 (0.4%), Lambertianin C (0.05%), and Sanguiin H-10 isomers (0.9%) as the main compounds. Among anthocyanins, the most representative compounds were cyanidin-3-sophoroside, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside. Our findings can serve as a reliable resource for the food industry, nutraceutical applications and for future investigations in the context of human health.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is characterized by a group of dysmetabolic conditions, including abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and/or insulin resistance, and hypertension. Generally, MetS is accompanied by an exacerbation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction. Increasing evidence suggests that berries and berry bioactives could play a potential role in the prevention and mitigation of the risk factors associated with MetS. The present systematic review summarizes the more recently available evidence deriving from human intervention studies investigating the effect of berries in subjects with at least three out of five MetS parameters. The PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases were systematically searched from January 2010 until December 2022. A total of 17 human intervention trials met the inclusion criteria. Most of them were focused on blueberry (n = 6), cranberry (n = 3), and chokeberry (n = 3), while very few or none were available for the other berries. If considering MetS features, the main positive effects were related to lipid profile (low and high-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and triglycerides) following blueberries and chokeberries, while conflicting results were documented for anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels. Other markers analyzed within the studies included vascular function, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Here, the main positive effects were related to inflammation with a reduction in interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha following the intake of different berries. In conclusion, although limited, the evidence seems to support a potential role for berries in the modulation of lipid profile and inflammation in subjects with MetS. Furthermore, high-quality intervention trials are mandatory to demonstrate the role of berries in reducing risk factors for MetS and related conditions. In the future, such a demonstration could bring the adoption of berries as a potential dietary strategy to prevent/counteract MetS and related risk factors.