Strawberries and raspberries may be a key ingredient in helping to prevent Scotland's disease profile according to a team of researchers led by Professor Annie Anderson at the University of Dundee.
The Berry Scotland Programme Board has brought together health experts, plant breeders, food industrialists, marketers and growers to work out how consumption of Scottish soft fruit can be increased in Scotland.
Identifying key bioactive compounds in soft fruits, and estimating their impact on disease risk and finding ways to incorporate fruit within the food chain are the key challenges for the group to address. From yoghurts to puree or even berry lollies - the Berry Scotland Board want to help facilitate an increase in consumption of easily available, affordable soft fruit in Scotland.
Soft fruit is known to have considerable health benefits including antioxidant properties from components such as flavinoids. Being a Scottish crop - the health and economy of Scotland could be considerably improved by higher intake of raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants eaten in many different ways.
The Scottish Executive has granted funding to support a scientific co-ordinator for identifying and co-ordinating research knowledge and gaps in this field and to facilitate developments between growers and consumers. The co-ordinator will work for two years with research scientists liaising with food product developers to identify how berry consumption can be increased.
Professor Annie Anderson said: "Soft fruit is currently marketed at the Marks and Spencers, tennis lovers end of the market, is seen as exclusive and is expensive to buy. Soft fruit is a Scottish crop that is nutritious with great health benefits and can be an everyday item without being an expensive luxury ingredient. As well as exporting our fruit, the Berry Scotland Board wants to encourage people to make it part of their daily diets so it becomes a regular Scottish staple food.
The Berry Scotland Board not only includes scientists but representatives from Scottish fruit growers, the National Farmers Union, experts on rural land diversification and marketing groups so that a strategy can be adopted which will be of benefit to health, the economy and agriculture.
Finland has recorded significant health benefits from a programme which included a Berry project to increase consumption of soft fruits. The North Karelia project was a public health programme adopted by Finland in 1972 to combat their high rate of heart disease and high fat diet - a health record very similar to Scotland's. The berry programme was a small part of this wider public health initiative but reaped considerable benefits. Fruit and vegetable consumption increased from about 20 kg per person annually in 1972 to 50 kg in 1992. Soft fruit products are now part of the staple diet in Finland and school children and adults alike eat a range of berries on a regular basis./ENDS
Contact Professor Annie Anderson 01382 496442