May 2021 - 30

BLUEBERRY
How science is working to build a better berry
By North Carolina State University
Blueberries and cranberries are two
of today's " it " foods. " Tiny, but mighty "
describes the health protective potential
of the little blueberry and cranberry.
They're lauded as nutrient-dense fruits
that are full of antioxidant polyphenols
that can protect the heart and lower bad
cholesterol.
Shoppers are buying blueberries more
than ever. Sales of blueberries increased
by 600% between 1994 and 2014, and
have maintained their momentum since
then. Cranberry sales also exploded
during the 1990s, largely fueled by dried
cranberries that could give a nutritional
boost to everything from baked goods to
trail mixes to processed foods.
The reason behind this surge in sales
has a lot to do with consumer demand in a
health-conscious culture, but it also has to
do with something else: science. Scientists
have helped create a better berry and gain a
better understanding of the positive health
effects associated with their consumption.
Despite the progress to select
improved blueberry cultivars, " When
you go to the market for berries, it's still
a lottery, " said Massimo Iorizzo, Ph.D.,
assistant professor in the Department of
Horticultural Science at North Carolina
State's Plants for Human Health Institute
(PHHI). Currently, inconsistent quality
of both texture and taste of berries
results in an inconsistent experience
Measuring firmness to improve fruit quality. Photo: North Carolina State University
which results in infrequent shoppers.
By expanding our understanding of how
AF_021_HVFCHV_MulltiCropVerticalAd_FruitGrowerNews2.qxp_AF_021_HVFCHV_MulltiCropVerticalA
we can more precisely select cultivars with
quality characteristics that meet consumer
preferences, the production of blueberries
and cranberries could grow even more. The
work that Iorizzo is doing at PHHI will play
a significant role in that process.
What makes a berry better?
Iorizzo is in the midst of a $12.8 million
Be Confident
In Your Harvest.
grant that will allow scientists to develop
a better blueberry and cranberry. He's
assembled a large team of specialists from
across the country who will pool their
talents to attack the challenge from several
angles, including genetics, physiology and
consumer behavior.
Their first task is to define the
characteristics of an ideal berry. What traits,
exactly, make for a good blueberry and
cranberry?
To some, better may mean a disease- or
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30 | FruitGrowersNews.com
insect-resistant plant. To others, it may
mean a sweet fruit. To ensure that the
team's research would prioritize the most
pressing concerns, between 2016 and 2018,
Iorizzo reached out to growers, distributors,
processors and packers across the industry.
He asked them to complete a survey
that would help his team identify the
characteristics that these workers valued in
blueberries and cranberries.
More than 500 survey responses later, a
clear consensus for a better berry emerged:
fruit quality. With fresh blueberries in
high demand, survey respondents said
they sought a berry with a little firmness.
This may allow berries to be stored for a
longer amount of time, address consumer
preference for crisp blueberries, and allow
blueberries to survive mechanical harvest
without falling apart.
Mechanical harvest is becoming
increasingly important for several
reasons. For one, production needs to
keep pace with consumer demand, and
hand-harvesting blueberries is time
intensive. Second, increasingly restrictive
immigration laws reduce the number
of workers who harvest berries in the
United States. With growing demand and
decreasing labor, mechanical harvesting
machines would help greatly - if only a
berry could be strong enough to resist
damage from the process.
Fruit quality was also the top priority that
survey respondents chose for cranberries.
During the 1980s, cranberries were mostly
used for juice, so a soft, juicy cranberry was
the ideal kind for processing. As consumers
began to demand dried cranberries instead,
the ideal characteristics for a cranberry
changed. Like with a blueberry, a firmer
cranberry gained preference.
Besides firmness, other fruit
characteristic priorities include shelf
life and size for blueberry and color and
increased anthocyanins for cranberry. All
these characteristics play a critical role in
reducing the challenges faced at all levels of
the supply chain, production, distribution,
processing and consumer preference.
Spirit of scientific collaboration
The key to Iorizzo's plan is collaboration
between scientists who study blueberries
and cranberries. These scientists come
from around the country, from Michigan,
Florida, Wisconsin, and beyond. They
include younger scientists and more
experienced ones who share their
innovation and expertise. They also share
leadership; this research has between 18
and 20 principal investigators.
" In a community-based initiative like
this, you can split efforts. Give each person
leadership in their own areas, " Iorizzo
said. " Today, it's a challenge to work in
your corner by yourself. I believe in people
working together to achieve things. You
can do a little thing by yourself, but you
can achieve something greater for the big
picture through true collaboration. "
The scientists are currently in the process
of studying how to link blueberry and
cranberry DNA with fruit characteristics,
and fruit characteristics with fruit quality.
Outcomes of this research will be used
during the project and in the future to
accelerate breeding of blueberry and
cranberry plants producing berries with
higher and more consistent quality, while
investigating consumer behavior to learn
how to increase sales.
The ultimate goal for this work, however,
pertains to health. With two small berries
wielding big health possibilities, giving
more people access to blueberries and
cranberries can create ripple effects of
positive health.
To learn more about the VacCAP Project
and find the latest research updates, visit
www.vacciniumcap.org. FGN

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May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021