The quality as well as phytochemical content of wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus, European blueberry) vary greatly between suppliers. The highest-quality bilberries grow wild in their native regions in Europe, which have low levels of pollution. Our organic bilberry powder is ground from certified organic wild bilberries.
Highbush bilberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), the ones normally found in supermarkets, are the most common species of bilberry in the food supply chain. Their light-coloured flesh is indicative of their significantly lower content of bioactives than that of wild bilberries.
Our producer hand-harvests only the ripest berries for us. They have a high phytochemical content and an intense, fruity flavour. This is due to our gentle production process, which involves freeze drying and slowly milling the fruit in order to ensure optimal preservation of the blueberries' potent bioactives.
Other drying processes, such as spray drying, are associated with poor quality, and do not ensure the optimal preservation of phytochemicals. Fruit powders which have not been freeze dried often contain maltodextrin, which then makes up a significant proportion of the overall mass. Sugar and sulphur are also often added to these powders.
We use environmentally friendly amber glass jars for the packaging of this product.