This document summarizes research on Nordic berries and birch sap conducted at the University of Turku. It discusses health effects found from studies on sea buckthorn, bilberries, and other Nordic berries. Technological applications of berries and birch sap are also reviewed, such as liqueurs made from Nordic berries and the global market for a key aroma compound found in arctic bramble. The document also provides an overview of birch sap research, including its composition, collection process, and production of birch syrup through various concentration methods.

1. Health effects and special features of
Nordic berries and birch sap
Science to support product research and development
Heikki Kallio & Baoru Yang
Food Chemistry and Food Development
Department of Biochemistry
University of Turku
Non-Timber Forest Products and Bioeconomy (NTFP
2017) 28 –30 November 2017 Rovaniemi, Finland
Arctic
bearberry
Birch sap
sparkling wine

2. 73 PhD Theses in Food Chemistry /
Food Development in 1975-2017
28 are related to prerequisites
of Nordic food production
Berries
Cereals
Fish
Herbs
Milk
Mushrooms
Oil crops
Potatoes
Roots
Birch sap
Spices
Tubers
UTU has a mission in Nordic food research

3. Kevo Subarctic
Research Institute
Utsjoki
Sea Buckthorn
Orchard
Tepasto, Kittilä
Food Chemistry and
Food Development
Arcanum, Turku
Heikki Kallio Elina Vainio
Kati Lampinen

4. Berry research at UTU
Empetrum nigrum Sorbus acuparia Chamaepericlymenum
suecicum
Hippophaë
rhamnoides
Rosa dumalis
Rubus saxatilis Rubus arcticus Ribes nigrum Vaccinium
vitis-idaea
Fragaria vesca
Arctostaphylos alpina Ribes rubrum Ribes alpinum Rubus idaeus Vaccinium myrtillus

5. Press
residue
Antioxidant
actvity:
• TRAP
• ORAC
• DPPH
Phenolics:
• Folin-C
• Acy-glyc
• Flav-glyc
• Phen Ac
Et OH
extraction
Extrusion
Juice
pressing
Snacks
Juices,
wines,
drinks…
CO2
extraction
Food colors, antioxidants
Foods, food supplements
cosmetics, medical devices
Nordic berries as raw material;
Projects carried out at UTU
Aroma,
flavor…

6. Products,
business,
quality,
safety issues
Availability,
technological
applications
Public health,
reduction of
health costs
Research on berries: health effects, technology, chemical
composition and sensory properties at UTU
Chemical
composition
of berries
Health effects of
Nordic berries and
their fractions
Sensory properties
and quality of
the products

7. Health effects of
Nordic berries and
their fractions

8. • Sea buckthorn (SB), SB oil, SB phenolics, bilberries (BB)
• 80 overweight women, randomized,,crossover
• 30 -day interventions
To be investigated especially
• Trends (changes) in heart, cardiovalscular and diabetes markers
• Trends especially in serum lipids and lipoproteins
Example 1. Hypothesis:
Sea buckthorn and bilberries may
have beneficial effects on
cholesterol metabolism and CHD risk
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951

9. increase (red)
decrease (blue)
size indicates magnitude
color saturation indicates
statistical significance
black border significance
at 5 % level
significant decrease
Example 1. Results:
• SB oil lowered S free Chol, IDL-Chol, IDL-TAG, IDL particles, small HDL TAG
• SB berries had positive effects on serum TAG and VLDL-LP lipids
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951
Free Chol
IDL Chol, TAG,
particle size
HDL TAG

10. Self-organizing map component planes of metabolic measures at baseline
above the median
at the median
below the median
A lower risk group
B higher risk group
Example 1. Results:
• Women with higher cardiovascular risk (factors) benefited most
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951
Am J Clin Nutr
2013, 98, 941-951

11. Example 2. Results:
SB berry oil has an effect on
platelet aggregation velocity and
total aggregation in healthy menStudy design:
• 12 normolipidemic, healthy men
(11 completed)
• 9 exclusion criteria
• DB, randomized, controlled
• CO2 extracted SB oil vs.
fractionated coconut oil
• 4 weeks, both oils 5 g/day,
randomized order
• 4-8 week wash-out
• Fasting (12 h) venous blood
samples before and after
treatments
• Blood in Na-citrate and
centrifuged (platelet-rich plasma)
• ADP and arachidonic acid
agonists → dose-response curves
• Subjects on their own control
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
ADP (µmol/l)
%Aggregation
SBO
Coconut oil
*
*
*
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
ADP (µmol/l)
∆%Aggregation/min
SBO
Coconut oil
*
*†
†
Example 2. Hypothesis:
SB oil may have an effect
on platelet aggregation
J Nutr Biochem
2000, 11, 491-495
J Nutr Biochem
2000, 11, 491-495

12. Example 3. Hypothesis:
Industrial berry products may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and
metabolic syndrome
Berry
powders
Dried
sweetened
berries
Lingonberry
rye bread
Berry
seed oils
(CO2 –extr)
Berry
juices
Frozen
berries
black currant
bilberry
lingonberry
sea buckthorn
61 women, parallel design
20 weeks intervention
2 groups, difference c.a. 120 g of berries a day
Blood samples before, during, after
Eur J Clin Nutr
2010, 64, 614-621
Eur J Clin Nutr
2010, 64, 614-621

13. Example 3. Result of the four berries research:
Industrial berry products lowered the ALAT –values. May indicate
reduction of the risk of metabolic syndrome and of type 2 diabetes
Eur J Clin Nutr
2010, 64, 614-621
Eur J Clin Nutr
2010, 64, 614-621

14. Study protocol
• Effect of SB on common cold and CRP
were the hypotheses
• 233 healthy volunteers (19 – 55 y men
and women) consumed 28 g SB berry
puree or non-effective placebo for 90
days
• SB H.rhamnoides ssp. monolica cv.
Prozcharachnaya
• DB, randomized, parallel study
• Diaries: Common cold and
digestive/urinary tract infections
• Sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP)
measured (inflammation marker)
Example 4. Hypothesis:
SB berries may have positive effects
on common cold and inflammations
Eur J Clin Nutr
2008, 62, 1123-1130
Eur J Clin Nutr
2008, 62, 1123-1130

15. Example 4. Results:
A low dose of SB puree decreased the sensitive CRP concentration
significantly compared to the placebo P = 0.039 (median change 0.059
mg/L). This also may indicate reduction of cardiovascular diseases.
Eur J Clin Nutr
2008, 62, 1123-1130
Eur J Clin Nutr
2008, 62, 1123-1130
Even though in this study
H.r. ssp. mongolica
was used there are old
indications that the
“original” Tibetan
H. gyantsensis would be
especially effective.

16. Clin. Exp. Allergy
2010, 40, 1247-1255
Example 5. Hypothesis: Black currant oil
prevents atopic dermatitis in newborns
Example 5. Results:

17. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
2013, 24, 562-566
Example 6. Hypothesis:
BC oil enhances innate and adaptive
immunity via breast milk cytokines

18. 0
100
200
300
400
IL-4
0
1
2
3
IL-5
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
IL-10
0
2
4
6
8
10
IL-12
0
5
10
15
20
25
IFN-γ
0
2
4
6
8
TNF
p=0.036
p=0.76
p=0.39 p=0.76
p=0.022 p=0.14
Interleukin 4 is a cytokine
regulator in immunity
Decreases production of IFN-gamma
Overproduction associated with allergies
Interferon γ is a dimerized soluble cytokine
Secreted by T helper cells
Antiviral, immunoregulatory, anti-tumor properties
Pro-inflammatory
Leds to cellular immunity
Critical for innate and adaptive immunity
Associated with allergic rhinitis
(jnflammation of nose mucose
membranes) and asthma
Pleiotropic effects in immunoregulation
and inflammation
Inhibits synthesis of IFN-gamma
Stimulates production of IFN-gamma
Reduces IL-4 mediated suppression
of IFN-gamma
Anti-angiogenic activity
Group of apoptosis-indicing cytokines
Breast milk concentrations (pg/ml) of mothers undergoing
BCSO (black, n=31) and olive oil (white, n= 30) intervention
Obs! This trend
should be taken
into account even
though p is high
Modified from:
Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
2013, 24, 562-566
Example 6. Results:

19. Availability,
technological
applications

20. Example 1:
University of Turku
Anniversary Liqueur 2017
Bilberry
Lingonberry
Crowberry
Arctic bearberry
No added water

21. Example 2:
Seed oils with supercritical CO2,
from an idea to international business

22. Example 3:
A key-aroma compound of arctic bramble, “mesifurane”
Mesimarja, arctic bramble
Rubus arcticus L.
2,5-dimethyl-4-methoxy-
3(2H)-furanone
”mesifurane”
A novel aroma compound identified by
GC/MS, HR-MS, NMR, IR and UV in 1974
Applications covered with a patent in 1977
(now terminated)
Kallio and Honkanen, IV Int. Congress Food Sci. Technol., Madrid, 1974, pp. 84-92. Kallio, J. Food Sci. 1976, 41, 563-566.

23. Global situation of mesifurane 43 years later (2017)
PubChem, October 22nd
2017:
-At least 38 companies from six countries are suppliers
-China, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Latvia…
-USD 100 Million revenue, 6 000 tn annual production

24. Global situation of mesifurane 43 years later (2017)

25. Chemistry and
technology of
birch sap

26. Birch sap research at UTU
• A less-exploited natural resource
• In abundance in Finland
• Maple sap/syrup as a model
• Traditional use and folklore support the endeavour
• Health claims in the air
• Technological and scientific interest
• New topics encouraged us

27. Birch sap research at UTU
• Xylem sap transports nutrients from the roots to the leaf buds
• A dilute solution (1 %) of important nutrients
• Sap may be collected during one to two weeks
• Aseptic collecting via a drilled hole is possible
• Easily spoiled by microbes
• 90 % of the dry matter sugars - sweet
• Syrup is concentrated and processed sap

28. Composition of Birch Sap
• Soluble solids: 0.5 – 1.1 °Brix
• Sugars: glucose, fructose (low in sucrose, galactose?, inositol?)
• Minerals: K, Mg, Ca (low in Na)…
• Acids: malic acid, succinic (phosphoric, citric, fumaric)
• Free amino acids: citrulline, glutamine, asparagine…
• Proteins: A wide variety (enzymes)
Titles in local
newspapers
at the moment
of the research
activity peak
pH varies mainly according
to the fruit acids and salts
between 5.5 and 8
Seasonal flow rates of birch sap
pe = Betula pendula
pu = Betula pubescens
Seasonal variations of pH in birch sap
The flow depends on environmental and
genetic factors, and the age of the tree.
Even up to 270 L/tree/season.

29. Birch syrup process
• High quality raw material (place of growth, time of season, microbiology)
• Processing of syrup = controlled removal of water
• A part of water may be removed by boiling
• Chemical reactions increase (color, flavor)
• Reverse osmosis instead of boiling (semi-permeable membrane)→ 10-20 %
• Vacuum evaporation (→ 70 %)
• May be filtered (precipitated proteins)
• Desired, optimized thermal processing
(caramellization, Maillard reaction)
sap in
water out
concentrate out
Reverse osmosis process

30. Birch syrup
• Dry matter higher than in maple syrup (difference in sugars)
• Glucose + fructose (invert sugar) susceptible for color and flavor formation
– Maillard reaction (amino groups + reducing sugars)
– Caramellisation (sugar reactions)
• Desired color/flavor with optimized heating process
• More acidic than maple syrup (lower sigar/acid ration)
• More salty then maple syrup (higher K, Ca, Mg)
• Susceptible for color/flavor changes during storage
Label of birch syrup
developed and processed
at the University of Turku
Heatinig (0 to 10 min at 100 °C) of birch syrup
reduced the aroma intensity of ”vanillin”, had no
effect on ”furaneol” and increased ”burned aroma”.
(Food Chem. 1987, 24, 287-299)
Moisture-temperature conditions are critical.

31. 24° 37' 08" E
68° 02' 22" N
Regards from Kittilä, the
northernmost sea buckthorn
plantation on the earth!

32. THANK YOU !