Recently, domestic Yunnan blueberries have ushered in the peak period of listing, and Chilean and Peruvian blueberries have become the main force in the consumer market.
In Hema and Xiaoxiang supermarkets, the keyword "blueberry" is searched for fresh, and the products are mostly large fruits with a fruit diameter of more than 18 mm, and the price is mainly 10 yuan-30 yuan/box.
Hema Fresh Blueberry Search Results|Hema Fresh Platform
Contemporary white-collar workers have also evolved from "no wolfberry no health" to "no blueberry no health".
In terms of sales, data shows that since 2024, the sales volume of blueberries on the Pinduoduo platform has increased by 300% compared with the same period in 2023. In particular, blueberries from Yunnan are the most popular among consumers, followed by blueberries from Jiangsu, Shandong, Liaoning and other real estates.
In 2022, iResearch released the "New Food Trend Report on Fruits for a Better Life", allowing respondents to evaluate fruits from three dimensions: appearance, nutritional value, and efficacy, and blueberries won the first place and are considered by respondents to be the "super fruit champion".
Comparison of the appearance, efficacy and nutritional value of different fruits|Source: References[1]
In terms of age, young people aged 26-35 especially recognize blueberries for their health benefits, lifestyle that can represent quality, and a sense of atmosphere when eating.
Blueberry impressions by population|Source: References[1]
So, what is the specific effect of eating a box of blueberries a day? Why are there more than 125 grams of blueberries on the market?
What happens to a box of blueberries a day?
Blueberry, a berry rich in anthocyanins.
Liu Xiaoli, chief expert of the food bioengineering innovation team of the Institute of Agricultural Products Processing of the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences and president of the Berry Industry Research Institute of the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told Yiyu that blueberries, especially the skins of blueberries, are rich in polyphenols such as anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and flavonols. These functional ingredients are the focus of research into the nutritional health content of blueberries.
According to the study of the nutritional composition of 34 blueberry varieties by Zhao Huifang and other scholars from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Jiangsu Province, the total anthocyanin content in the 34 blueberry samples was 0.68~2.49 mg·g-1, that is, the total anthocyanin content was 68~249 mg per 100g of blueberries, and the total polyphenol content was 1.05~3.49 mg·g-1, that is, the total polyphenol content in every 100g of blueberries was about 105~349 mg.
Comparison of nutrient composition of 34 blueberry varieties (partial)|Source: References[2]
Liu Xiaoli said that blueberries are rich in anthocyanins and other polyphenols with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which can scavenge free radicals in the body, reduce cell oxidative damage and inflammatory reactions, and long-term intake will have positive health effects on some oxidative damage and inflammation-related diseases, such as cardiovascular health, eye protection, cancer prevention, brain health, anti-aging, and immunity.
Anthocyanins are a popular class of substances in the study of blueberry nutrients, which are unstable anthocyanins and sugars in plants, compounds combined in the form of glycosidic bonds, and belong to flavonoids of polyphenols.
In other words, the above anthocyanins can be equated with the effect of anthocyanins on the human body.
Gu Zhongyi, a registered dietitian and director of the Beijing Dietitians Association, introduced in the article "This 'chameleon' in the food world hides the health code!", the antioxidant effect of anthocyanins (anthocyanins) has been proven by clinical trials.
A 2019 article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "Blueberries Improve Cardiometabolic Function Biomarkers in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A 6-Month Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial", found that patients with metabolic syndrome were expected to reduce the overall risk of cardiovascular disease by 12%-15% after consuming one cup of blueberries per day (equivalent to 150 grams) for 6 months. The findings of this study support the inclusion of blueberries in dietary strategies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Change in levels of vascular function biomarkers and total anthocyanin metabolites from baseline to 6 months in the intervention group |
The School of Public Health of Sun Yat-sen University conducted a clinical study on the effect of anthocyanin supplementation on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ability of patients with dyslipidemia, and supplemented 169 patients with dyslipidemia with 40-320mg daily for 12 weeks, and found that the content of inflammatory markers in the blood was significantly reduced, while the content of superoxide dismutase, which can scavenge free radicals, increased.
This suggests that anthocyanins have certain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, confirming the beneficial role of anthocyanins in reducing the risk of chronic diseases associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.
Effect of anthocyanins on inflammatory markers|Source: Reference[5]
Liu Xiaoli further explained that the physiological function of blueberries is not the effect of a certain type or type of element, but more of the comprehensive effect of the whole fruit.
Although only one element is often used in academic research in order to eliminate interference, in fact, many polyphenols or flavonoids have been studied to confirm their antioxidant effects, and many substances and elements will also have synergistic effects between them.
Gu Zhongyi said that the rich anthocyanins and dietary fiber in blueberries are also beneficial for improving insulin sensitivity and reducing the risk of diabetes.
On the one hand, the anthocyanins in blueberries can improve the response of muscle and fat cells to insulin, allowing the body to process blood sugar more efficiently, which is especially important for the prevention and management of diabetes.
On the other hand, every 100 grams of fresh blueberries contain about 2.4g of dietary fiber, which is rich in dietary fiber, which helps to delay the digestion process and slow down the rise in blood sugar levels.
At the same time, the dietary fiber in blueberries can also help improve intestinal motility, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, reduce the risk of constipation, and also have certain benefits for the digestive system.
However, blueberry health is not a one-day effort.
Blueberries are rich in fiber, especially for people with weak gastrointestinal function, excessive consumption of blueberries may increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating or abdominal pain.
Liu Xiaoli told Yiyu that for adults, it is okay to eat 100~200 grams of blueberries a day, and the specific amount can be adjusted according to personal digestive ability and physiological factors.
Gu Zhongyi also said that it is recommended to eat 200-350g of fruits every day, and choose a rich variety of fruits to ensure comprehensive nutritional supplementation.
Most of the blueberries sold in the market are 125g/box, which happens to be within the recommended daily intake range of blueberries. "In terms of sugar content and other harmful ingredients, this amount is quite appropriate. Gu Zhongyi said.
Why are blueberries often 125g in a box?
Boxed fruits, such as bananas, apples, pineapples, etc., are generally calculated according to 500g, why are boxed blueberries more than 125g?
First, small, fragile berries like blueberries need smaller packages to protect them from crushing and spoiling too quickly.
Blueberries have a high water content and thin skin, making them susceptible to physical damage and microbial infections. Once the skin of a blueberry is damaged, it accelerates water loss and bacterial growth, resulting in rapid spoilage of the fruit. The small package can reduce the extrusion from the outside world, and at the same time avoid the accumulation of large amounts of fruits, heat generation, and slow down the rate of spoilage.
Secondly, the packaging and amount of 125g meet the needs of contemporary young people for "convenient fruits", even if it is carried, small portions, snacks, and it is best not to produce garbage.
Blueberries: Convenient fruits that don't produce garbage|Source: Weibo screenshot
Finally, the market price of blueberries is relatively high, and if the price of 500g is marked, it may dissuade a large number of consumers, while the price of 125g is much more affordable.
Taking China Resources Vanguard Supermarket as an example, a box of 125g blueberries with a fruit diameter of about 14mm is priced at 9.9 yuan per box.
The price of 14mm blueberries in China Resources Vanguard supermarket|Source: One Reading
Consumer Xiaoyue said that she was very moved when she saw this price, "There is no burden to buy a box every day, after all, it is less than 10 yuan."
But after conversion, you will find that the total is nearly forty yuan per catty.
Blueberries with larger fruit diameters will be more expensive, with the same 125g blueberries with a fruit diameter of 18mm priced at 12.9 yuan per box, or 51.6 yuan per catty, while oversized fruits with a fruit diameter of 22mm+ will cost 18.8 yuan per box, or 75.2 yuan per catty.
The price of China Resources Vanguard 18mm/22mm+ Joyvio blueberry | Source: Meituan screenshot
Why are blueberries so expensive?
Blueberries require up to two months of intensive manual picking, which is costly.
Dong Shunwen, a researcher at the Institute of Cash Crop Breeding and Cultivation of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, wrote in "Zhihui Pastoral". Blueberry Postharvest Management Technology Teaching" introduced in the article: Blueberries grow at different rates, and even blueberries grown on the same bunch may not ripen at different times. Therefore, it is necessary to harvest in batches, manually every 3 days or so, and the overall harvest period can last up to two months.
Each harvest is also a delicate process. Harvesters not only need to carefully identify whether the fruit is ripe according to the powder on the skin, but also need to wear finger gloves or gloves throughout the process to avoid damaging the fragile blueberry fruit and protect the powder with thin skin.
Professor Li Yadong, former chairman of the Small Berry Branch of the Chinese Horticultural Society and professor of Jilin Agricultural University, told Yiyu that the fine harvesting cost of blueberries in Yunnan reached 8 yuan per catty, and even if it was not so fine normal picking, it would cost 2.5-3 yuan per catty. And that's just the cost of the harvesting process, not to mention the sorting and packaging that follows.
In addition, blueberry fruits are relatively squeamish and resistant to storage, so they need to be cooled, packaged, stored in cold storage throughout the whole process after picking, and transported to the supermarket as soon as possible by cold chain vehicles. The high requirements for handling and transportation environments have also contributed to the increase in the cost of blueberries.
Could blueberries be the next sunshine rose?
The same is the introduction of popular fruits from abroad, Sunshine Rose has also experienced the same "peak moment" as today's blueberries, the highest price is more than 100 yuan a catty, but with the gradual increase in the promotion area, the cultivation technology level and concept of growers are different, resulting in uneven fruit quality, and the price has fallen to 10 yuan or even 5 yuan a catty.
Today's Sunshine Rose Price|Source: One Reading
Analogous to Sunshine Rose, in the face of today's popular blueberries and the rapidly exploding blueberry market, some netizens speculated that blueberries are about to fall off the altar, not far from "10 yuan and 3 catties".
Li Yadong expressed clear opposition to this view.
Li Yadong believes that the price of 100 yuan of Sunshine Rose itself is a kind of hyped high price, which does not reflect its real commercial value.
As a branch of grapes, the price of Sunshine Rose should not deviate from the normal price range of grapes. Before the emergence of Sunshine Rose, the mainland grape market has included Jufeng, seedless white grapes and other varieties, the price per catty is generally about 10 yuan, if only because Sunshine Rose is delicious, the price is higher than the daily variety (such as twice as high) can also be regarded as a rational range, but the price of 100 yuan is indeed beyond the overall price range of grapes too much.
Secondly, as an independent fruit category, the total market volume of blueberries should be compared with grapes, strawberries, cherries, etc. of the same grade. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's grape production in 2022 will be about 15.4465 million tons, and strawberry production will be close to 4 million tons. According to Li Yadong's estimate, this year's blueberry fresh fruit output will not exceed 300,000 tons, and there is still a long way to go to reach the same annual output as other fruits.
In other words, blueberries still have a broad market prospect.
In addition, as previously described, the high cost of harvesting, sorting, packaging and shipping blueberries also supports the high market price of blueberries from falling rapidly.
Finally, in addition to the fresh fruit market, there is also a market for processed products for blueberries, which can support the relatively high price system of blueberries. Dried blueberries, blueberry wine, blueberry yogurt, and other processed blueberry products have a wide market for blueberries.
Blueberry yogurt|Source: Taobao According to the "2023-2024 Global and China Blueberry Industry Research Report" released by iiMedia Consulting, China's blueberry processing and consumption market is larger than the fresh fruit consumption market, and more than 50%.
全球主要蓝莓生产国家鲜食比例|图源：参考文献[7] 如果鲜果销售价格低到不能覆盖蓝莓精细化采摘、处理、运输的成本，那种植者可以通过高效且成本低廉的集中采收，以每斤5-8元左右的价格将蓝莓卖向原料加工渠道。 这也是阳光玫瑰所缺乏的市场，因为葡萄品类丰富，如酿酒等葡萄加工渠道已培育出专门的品种。 参考文献：[1] (2022).美好生活水果新食尚趋势报告. (eds.)艾瑞咨询系列研究报告（2022年第3期）(pp.1263-1301). [2] 赵慧芳, 吴文龙, 黄正金, 赵俸艺, 闾连飞 & 李维林. (2023). 34个蓝莓品种果实品质评价. 植物资源与环境学报 (04), 44-53+72. [3] Curtis PJ, van der Velpen V, Berends L, Jennings A, Feelisch M, Umpleby AM, Evans M, Fernandez BO, Meiss MS, Minnion M, Potter J, Minihane AM, Kay CD, Rimm EB, Cassidy A. Blueberries improve biomarkers of cardiometabolic function in participants with metabolic syndrome-results from a 6-month, double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019 Jun 1; 109(6):1535-1545. [4] Long-term Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Subjective Cognitive Decline in US Men and Women. Neurology. 2021 Dec 7; 97(23):1096. [5] Zhang H, Xu Z, Zhao H, Wang X, Pang J, Li Q, Yang Y, Ling W. Anthocyanin supplementation improves anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory capacity in a dose-response manner in subjects with dyslipidemia. Redox Biol. 2020 May;32:101474. [6]【农业技术】高丛蓝莓栽植后土壤与施肥管理关键技术！https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/qQD8PdGZ-N8KbbIlBsD-5g[7] (2023). 2023-2024年全球及中国蓝莓产业研究报告.艾媒咨询.
Author: Xin Wenhao Editor: Chen Yanni Duty Editor: Min Min
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