Silk powder compared to common berry powders: composition and properties

The paper presents a comparative characterization of mulberry powder and powders from commonly consumed berries (blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, sea buckthorn, strawberry) in terms of organoleptic properties, nutritional value, and technological suitability. The relevance of the study is due to the expansion of the range of concentrated berry products obtained through dehydration and grinding of raw materials, which ensures convenient storage, reduced seasonal dependence, and broad application in the food industry. It is shown that the composition and functional properties of berry powders depend both on the type of raw material and on the drying technology used, with vitamin C being the component most sensitive to thermal processing. Special attention is given to mulberry powder, which is characterized by high natural sweetness, low acidity, and the presence of dietary fiber and minerals, including iron. Laboratory evaluation based on seven indicators (sweetness, acidity, color, solubility, moisture /stability, aroma, and overall score) demonstrated that it achieved the highest integral result. It was established that mulberry powder is the most versatile for daily use and a promising ingredient for functional nutrition, whereas other berry powders should be selected according to their specific properties and intended applications.

1. Prodovol'stvennaya i sel'skokhozyaystvennaya organizatsiya OON. Pererabotka i sokhranenie fruktov i ovoshchey: spravochnye materialy [Processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables: reference materials]. – Rim: FAO, 2019. (in Russian)

2. Bhandari B., Bansal N. Spray drying and food powders: properties and applications // Food Engineering Reviews. – 2019.

3. Ratti C. Hot air and freeze-drying of highvalue foods: a review of quality changes // Journal of Food Engineering. – 2001.

4. Vsemirnaya organizatsiya zdravookhraneniya. Zdorovoe pitanie i rekomendatsii po pishchevym voloknam: informatsionnyy byulleten' [Healthy diet and dietary fibre recommendations: information bulletin]. – Zheneva, 2020. (in Russian)

5. Ministerstvo sel'skogo khozyaystva SShA. FoodData Central: shelkovitsa (svezhaya i sushenaya), pishchevaya tsennost' [FoodData Central: mulberry (fresh and dried), nutritional value]. – Vashington, 2020.

6. Kumar A. et al. Mulberry (Morus spp.): review of nutritional value and therapeutic potential // Functional Foods in Health and Disease. – 2018. – № 4. – P. 15–27.

7. Sánchez-Salcedo E. M. et al. Mulberry (Morus spp.) as a source of bioactive compounds: composition and health effects // Food Research International. – 2017.

8. Hassan M. et al. Polyphenols and antioxidant activity of berries and mulberry // Journal of Food Chemistry. – 2019. – Vol. 12. – № 2. – P. 45–53.

9. Prior R. L. Anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of blueberries // Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. – 2017. – Vol. 28. – № 3. – P. 101–110.

10. Kalt W. et al. Recent research on the health benefits of blueberries and their anthocyanins // Advances in Nutrition. – 2020.

11. Natsional'nye instituty zdorov'ya. Vitamin C i immunnaya funktsiya: obzor [Vitamin C and immune function: review]. – Bethesda, 2021. (in Russian)

12. Bowen-Forbes C. S., Zhang Y., Nair M. G. Anthocyanin content and antioxidant activity of raspberry // Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. – 2010.

13. Jepson R. G. et al. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections: systematic review // Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. – 2012. – № 10.

14. Howell A. B. Cranberry proanthocyanidins and urinary tract health // Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. – 2007.

15. Suryakumar G., Gupta A. Sea buckthorn: bioactive substances and health benefits // Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy. – 2018. – Vol. 6. – № 1. – P. 9–18.

16. Bal L. M. et al. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides): bioactive compounds and health benefits // Food Chemistry. – 2011.

17. Evropeyskoe agentstvo po bezopasnosti pishchevykh produktov. Allergenost' klubniki i pishchevaya chuvstvitel'nost': obzor [Strawberry allergenicity and food sensitivity: review]. – Parma, 2016. (in Russian)

18. Asero R. Strawberry allergy: clinical features and allergen characterization // Clinical and Translational Allergy. – 2013.