A review of the nutrient composition of selected Rubus berries

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is a nutritional review of the scientific literature of four Rubus varieties: raspberry, blackberry, boysenberry and loganberry. The study aimed to review the scientific literature related to Rubus and the bioactives and key nutrients. Design/methodology/approach – Nutrient data were obtained from Australia and New Zealand, where Australian data were absent; to provide an overview of the existing and available nutrient composition data, a review of the scientific literature using defined search terms in the Web of Science and Scopus databases for the years 2001-2011 was conducted. The primary components of Rubus are the water-soluble vitamins. Findings – A review of Australian and New Zealand nutrient composition databases revealed that Rubus can range from 184 to 293 kJ energy, 0.3 to 0.7 per cent total fat content, 1.1 to 1.5 per cent protein, 4.9 to 7.5 per cent carbohydrate and 34 to 63 mg/100 g folate and 9 to 38 mg/100 g vitamin C. Many publications have addressed the nutrient content of the berries individually with 24 identified in this project relating to raspberries, 15 for blackberries, 3 for boysenberries and 2 for loganberries. Research limitations/implications – Research relating to bioactive compounds in Rubus berries appears to be targeted towards those more commonly consumed and readily available in Australia. Practical implications – The most commonly identified bioactives were the phenolic compounds with ellagic acid, the specific bionutrient of interest. This suggests the need for a targeted approach to build a consistent set of values for bioactive compounds in Rubus berries. Originality/value – Given the growing interest in phytochemical compounds and their inclusion in Australian Dietary Guidelines, collation of analytical data for specific food categories is vital.