Abstract
Goji berries have long been used for their nutritional value and medicinal purposes in Asian countries. In the last two decades, goji berries have become popular around the world and are consumed as a functional food due to wide-range bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties. In addition, they are gaining increased research attention as a source of functional ingredients with potential industrial applications. This review focuses on the antioxidant properties of goji berries, scientific evidence on their health effects based on human interventional studies, safety concerns, goji berry processing technologies, and applications of goji berry-based ingredients in developing functional food products.
Highlights
Berry fruits are frequently consumed worldwide due to their richness in highly valuable bioactive compounds, which potentially positively impact human health [1,2]
This review focuses on the antioxidant properties of goji berries, scientific evidence on their health effects based on human interventional studies, safety concerns, goji berry processing technologies, and applications of goji berry-based ingredients in developing functional food products
In addition to antioxidative properties, L. ruthenicum anthocyanins have demonstrated anti-inflammatory [53,54], antilipidemic [55], and antiobesity properties [56]. While these water-soluble flavonoids are responsible for the purplish–blue colour of black goji berry, high carotenoid content, predominant zeaxanthin, and its esters result in the red–orange colour of red goji berries [57]
Summary
Berry fruits are frequently consumed worldwide due to their richness in highly valuable bioactive compounds, which potentially positively impact human health [1,2]. In vitro antioxidant assays, in vivo studies, and clinical trials have contributed to understanding some of the health benefits of goji berries [8,16,17,18] This knowledge has created a new concept in diets, aiming to develop and promote goji berries as a functional food, or their use in formulating innovative food products. Despite observed variations in chemical compositions and bioactivities among goji berries from different regions, affected by genotypes, environmental conditions, and many other pre-harvest and post-harvest factors, the specific profile of primary and secondary metabolites and good antioxidant properties makes goji berries convenient for further applications in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Among different identified safety concerns, there is growing evidence that goji berries may trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, especially across Mediterranean populations [31,32]
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