Blueberry Anthocyanins & Rye Pollen: 2 New Raw Materials Approved by NHC

On May 6th, 2023, the Health and Medical Commission has newly announced No. 3 in 2023, approving two new food ingredients, which include blueberry anthocyanins and rye pollen.

Blueberry Anthocyanins Powder

Blueberry anthocyanins are powdery substances made from the fruits part of blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in the family Rhododendron and the genus Vaccinium, through enzymatic hydrolysis, water extraction, purification, concentration, and drying processes.

Canada approves the use of blueberry extract (with anthocyanin content ≥ 40%) as a natural health food. The European Union uses anthocyanins from vegetables and fruits as food additives. Additionally, The United States uses anthocyanins from grapes and its skins as food additives and allows their use in beverages and other food types.

The recommended consumption amount of blueberry anthocyanins approved in China is: for blueberry anthocyanins with a total anthocyanin content of 40.0%, the recommended consumption amount is 800 mg/day. If the content exceeds this level, it will be converted according to the actual content.

The new food ingredient blueberry anthocyanin was declared in October 2021, with the declared name "LanMei #1 Blueberry Extract".The company extracted 15 complete anthocyanins from the blueberry fruit of "Lanmei #1", with a total anthocyanin purity of over 40%. The anthocyanins of "Lanmei #1" have reached high-level medicinal standards for anthocyanins.

Pic Source: Health Commission official website

From the reference liquid chromatography of blueberry anthocyanins, it can be seen that the types and content of anthocyanins are higher than those of European blueberries, and the 40% content is much higher than the specifications of ordinary blueberry extracts.

Technically, it has a certain degree of competitiveness in terms of technology. As a natural pigment and functional food ingredient, it has a wide range of application potential.

Rye Pollen Powder

The basal plant of rye pollen also know as Secale Cereale L., is a type of plant belonging to the Gramineae family. It is native to Central Asia and the Mediterranean, and is widely cultivated in Europe.

This ingredient is made by harvesting rye pollen and undergoing drying, separation, and many other processes. In Japan and South Korea, pollen that is used as a food category is not limited to its source plant, and rye pollen can be consumed as food. In the United States, rye pollen can be sold as a food ingredient. The recommended consumption of this product is ≤ 1.5 grams per day.

Rye pollen was declared as a new food ingredient in October 2021 and is currently the first pollen based new food ingredient approved in China. This raw material is the brand Graminex® ‘s raw material of American Graminex L.L.C Comany. The product can be applied to capsule, tablet, beverage and other dosage forms, and has supporting effects on prostate health, liver health, menopausal health, and immune health.

In fact, many pollen raw materials in China are common food raw materials, such as rape pollen, corn pollen, pine pollen, sunflower pollen, violet pollen, buckwheat pollen, sesame pollen, sorghum pollen, etc. Now there is rye pollen. With the continuous expansion of pollen consumption resources, the development of functional food with pollen as raw material may be a new hot spot in the future.