Award for chokeberry juice. UPWr scientist discovered healing properties of chokeberry juice

The technological start-up called VIANAT (from VIA - road, and NAT - nature) has been operating in the Podkarpackie Science and Technology Park for 6 years. Its main purpose is to use the natural potential of Polish fruit and vegetables to produce products which are beneficial to our health. The founder of the start-up and the current CEO Arkadiusz Trefon has been cooperating on the development of efficient methods of obtaining bioactive substances with Professor Jan Oszmiański, an outstanding researcher of natural technologies for processing edible plants, for many years. Nature has provided many fruits and vegetables with these substances, and their biological properties mean that they can be used to enhance the treatment of many diseases. They simply need to be skillfully extracted, which is now possible as a result of the successful cooperation of VIANAT and the UPWr, which involved entrepreneurs, food technicians and chemists.

– I was fascinated with the Professor's research on chokeberries – admits the CEO of Trefon, emphasising that the cooperation with the UPWr scientist has led to the creation of a processing line that enables saving most of the bioactive ingredients, despite their instability. – It was a revolutionary change in the approach to processing. It is extremely important in the case of chokeberries, considering that our juice contains an exceptional amount of polyphenols – he explains.

Scientists have proved that chokeberries are an extremely rich source of polyphenols – bioactive substances effective in fighting many diseases. They are recommended in the treatment, among others, of high blood pressure, visual impairment or diabetes. These compounds also support the functioning of the immune system thanks to their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antiallergic properties. Chokeberries contain large amounts of vitamins B (B1, B2, B6), vitamin C and vitamin E. They are also an excellent source of vitamin PP, i.e. niacin, which is responsible for our mental state.

Research shows that bioactive chokeberry juice has a great chemopreventive effect in the diet of numerous military specialisations, e.g. pilots, ICT specialists or communications services. The polyphenols contained in chokeberries can protect our DNA against damage causing neoplastic diseases.­­

More and more people are discovering the benefits of chokeberries, which are often described as a superfruit and are becoming more popular every year.

The healing properties of chokeberries were discovered by Prof. Jan Oszmiański in the 1970s. He found a way to neutralise the bitter taste of this super berry.

– Chokeberries are my passion. No other fruits have such a wealth of valuable substances – says Professor Oszmiański. He says that the scientific breakthrough occurred by accident. – I once tried linseed pomace, and I covered it with tea instead of water, which gave it a delicate taste, not bitter at all. I then mixed ground linseed with chokeberries, and it turned out this gets rid of their bitter taste – recalls the scientist from the UPWr.