Sensory Living Lab as opportunity for "super" berry fruit product adoption

Dorota Konopacka, Sebastian Siarkowski, Monika Mieszczakowska-Frąc, Dawid Wieloch SENSORY LIVING-LAB AS OPPORTUNITY FOR “SUPER” BERRY FRUIT PRODUCT ADOPTION www.inhort.pl The National Institute of Horticultural Research, Skierniewice, Poland „Super” berry in Poland is recognized to berry fruits outstandingly rich in anthocyanins, like chokeberry, blackcurrant or haskap berry, which could be exploit especially valuable constituents of functional food. WHAT DOES „SUPER” BERRY MEANS? “SUPER” BERRIES, AN UNDERESTIMATED GIFT OF NATURE Haskap berry Lonicera caerulea Blackcurrant Nigrum Ribes Chokeberry Aronia melacorpa All the black 'super' berries" - chokeberry, haskap berry or blackcurrant are characterized with outstanding dietetic properties. CREATING INNOVATION AS A CONCEPT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN FOUR SECTORS BUSSINESS SCIENCE GOVERMENT SOCIETY CONSUMER INNOVATIVE PROCESSES' PARTNER CONSCIOUS CONSUMER BARRIERS IDENTIFIED IN THE INTRODUCTION OF PROCESSED SUPER BERRY PRODUCTS TO THE MARKET WHAT WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO INCLUDE ’SUPER BERRIES’IN YOUR DAILY DIET? One of the important participants of the LIving-Lab approach in the presented project are Polish berry producers and potential Investors, especially processing plants manager. As part of the project, a survey was conducted in which they were asked about various aspects of the production of 'super' berries, including asking them to indicate barriers to the introduction of these species into the market. The survey was conducted among participants of an industry conference dedicated to Polish berry producers. Twenty entities participated in the survey. Responses were anonymous and data submission was voluntary. Despite longstanding efforts to popularize preserves based on that ‘superfruits’, they are still underestimated by consumers. What's more food producers are afraid of processing them. In order to give berries a chance for wider acceptance among modern consumers, the Institute of Horticulture supported by international (Polish, Denmark, French) consortium, is implementing the ‘HortiFoodTrends’. The aim of the project is, among others, to propose berry products that will have both acceptable sensory characteristic and significant healthpromoting properties. It is expected to become a tool fostering human wellbeing and agri-food sector capacity. Vitamin C mg/100 g Anthocyanins mg/100 g Dietary Fibers g/100 g Blackcurrant 160-285 130-400 7,9 Haskapberry 30-180 140-1100 3,0 Chokeberry 20-30 200-1000 5,3 Haskap berries exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anticancer, procognitive, cardio-, hepato-, and neuroprotective properties. Recent reports also indicate that consuming haskap berries can increase running performance and speed in recreational runners, likely due to improved vascular endothelial function and the body's ability to cope with exercise-induced oxidative stress. Chokeberries, particularly black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa), are known for their rich content of antioxidants and polyphenols, which contribute to a variety of health benefits. These benefits include potential cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antioxidant effects. They may also help in improving blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar regulation (2) difficulties related to their intense and specific taste (3) the lack of well-established buying habits for high anhocyanins (1) very low consumer awareness of chokeberry and haskap berry RESEARCH APPROACH Would you agree to answer a few questions? Thank you for supporting our idea of promoting a healthy diet using the gifts of nature!