**3. Endemic/native berries**

Several reports demonstrate the health benefits of bee pollen. Scientific studies have shown that bee pollen acts as an anti-anemic, tonic and restorative, hormone regulator, intestinal regulator, vasoprotector, and hepatoprotective, detoxifying, and antioxidant agent [28, 29, 65]. However, very few studies have identified the phenolic compounds of Chilean bee pollen. The information on bee pollen production for food applications and some reports concerning their

Phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments such as β-carotene are mainly responsible for the healthy properties such as antioxidant and antibacterial properties exhibited by bee pollen [68–70]. The phenolic acids and flavonoid glycosides are present in the nectar of flowers visited by bees, which are hydrolyzed and transferred to bee pollen. The number and variety of phenolic acids and flavonoids are highly variable, since beekeepers mix bee pollen with different botanical origins from different plant species [22, 71]. A major flavonoid found in bee pollen is rutin [72]. The main group of pigments that compose bee pollen are carotenoids, especially β-carotene, whose concentration also depends on the botanical origin of the sample [63]. The β-carotene content is about 17% of total carotenoids. In some cases, it may contain 20 times less carotenoids that some foods [73]. In Chilean bee pollen, the carotenoid content

The type and concentration of the polyphenolic compound influence the antibacterial and antioxidant activity exhibited by bee pollen. The most important polyphenolic compounds related to these activities are vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, hesperidin, rutin, kaempferol, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin [70]. Bee pollen rich in these compounds has shown activity against specific pathogens such as *S. aur‐ eus*, which causes skin infections; *E. coli*, which causes diarrhea [67, 77], *Streptococcus pyogenes*, which causes acute bacterial pharyngitis [78], *P. aeruginosa*, which produces tissue damage and affects the immune system [79] and *S. pyogenes*, which causes skin wounds [16]. Another important study demonstrated the inhibition activity against *Salmonella* spp.,

**Figure 1.** Antibacterial activity of Chilean multiflora bee pollen hydrophilic extracts evaluated by inhibition zone diameter against *Salmonella typhimurium* and *Salmonella enteriditis*. Tetracycline (T), ampicillin (A) and chloramphenicol

antimicrobial and antioxidant activity [54, 66, 67].

136 Superfood and Functional Food - An Overview of Their Processing and Utilization

varies with the botanical origin (**Table 2**).

as shown **Figure 1** [66].

(Cl) were used as controls.

Chile is the main exporter of berries in the Southern Hemisphere and the fifth berry exporter worldwide because of its comparative advantages: geographic isolation of the country (desert in the north, the Pacific Ocean, the Andes mountains, and the Patagonian ice), which makes it an island from the health point of view, decreasing the incidence of pests and diseases; the Mediterranean climate is beneficial to obtain optimal raw material and production and in a counter-season and phased production [80, 81]. Maqui, murta, and others recently explored are included in the list of actual and future production (**Figures 2** and **3**).

**Figure 2.** *Luma apiculata* or "arrayán" fruits. These berry-like fruits have higher antioxidant activity than blueberries. Many unknown Chilean endemic/native fruits are potential functional foods.

**Figure 3.** *Myrceugenia obtusa* or "Rarán" fruits. These berrys have antioxidant and antibacterial activities (Orellana et al., 2017).

### **3.1. "Maqui" (***Aristotelia chilensis***)**

Maqui is a berry with antioxidant and antihemolytic properties [82, 83], and it limits adipogenesis and inflammatory pathways in vitro [84, 85], protects against oxidative stress by reducing lipid peroxidation [86], inhibits LDL oxidation in vitro and protects human endothelial cells against oxidative stress [87] and has cardioprotective [88] and gastroprotective properties [89]. These healthy effects are produced by anthocyanins and many other bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, coumarins, phenolic acid (i.e. gallic, gentisic, sinapic, hydroxybenzoic, vanillic acids, makonine, 8-oxo-9 dehydrohobartine and 8-oxo-9 dehydromakomakine [90–93] present in the fruits. Recently, Maqui has been used to design new functional foods such as drinks and cakes with antioxidant properties for in vivo and clinical trials [94–96].

## **3.2. "Murta" or "murtilla" (***Ugni molinae***)**

Murta fruits are berries which have a rich chemical composition of bioactive compounds associated with health properties [97]. They have shown analgesic *in vitro* activity [98], protective capacity against oxidative damage of human erythrocytes [99], antimicrobial activity [100], antioxidant activity [101, 102], and α-glucosidase/α-amylase inhibition [102] as the main beneficial effects.

#### **3.3. Other berries and berry-like fruits**

"Calafate" (taxonomically described as *Berberis buxifolia* and also *Berberis microphylla*) fruits are berries that are scarcely studied. However, the available information is very interesting and indicates its potential as an antioxidant, which may be related to its high anthocyanin and hydroxycinnamic acid levels [103, 104]. Most recently, exploratory studies have revealed new native/endemic berry-like fruits such as *Luma apiculata*, *Ribes punctatum*, *Ribes magellanicum*, *Ribes cucullatum* and *Ribes tribolum* [105, 106]. *Ribes* spp., *Rubus* spp., *Gaultheria* spp., and *Berberis* spp., among others, as promising crops of functional foods or food additives/supplements such as natural colorants (**Table 3**). Some other non-scientific studies have been related with functional properties of several non-fruiting plants with anticoagulant, antithrombin, and analgesic properties and related health effects [107].



**3.1. "Maqui" (***Aristotelia chilensis***)**

138 Superfood and Functional Food - An Overview of Their Processing and Utilization

**3.2. "Murta" or "murtilla" (***Ugni molinae***)**

**3.3. Other berries and berry-like fruits**

analgesic properties and related health effects [107].

**Attributed properties**

Antioxidant (antocyanin content)

the main beneficial effects.

**Common name Scientific**

Chaura *Gaultheria*

Chaura *Gaultheria*

Chaura *Gaultheria*

**name**

*pumila*

*mucronata*

*antarctica*

Maqui is a berry with antioxidant and antihemolytic properties [82, 83], and it limits adipogenesis and inflammatory pathways in vitro [84, 85], protects against oxidative stress by reducing lipid peroxidation [86], inhibits LDL oxidation in vitro and protects human endothelial cells against oxidative stress [87] and has cardioprotective [88] and gastroprotective properties [89]. These healthy effects are produced by anthocyanins and many other bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, coumarins, phenolic acid (i.e. gallic, gentisic, sinapic, hydroxybenzoic, vanillic acids, makonine, 8-oxo-9 dehydrohobartine and 8-oxo-9 dehydromakomakine [90–93] present in the fruits. Recently, Maqui has been used to design new functional foods such as drinks and cakes with antioxidant properties for in vivo and clinical trials [94–96].

Murta fruits are berries which have a rich chemical composition of bioactive compounds associated with health properties [97]. They have shown analgesic *in vitro* activity [98], protective capacity against oxidative damage of human erythrocytes [99], antimicrobial activity [100], antioxidant activity [101, 102], and α-glucosidase/α-amylase inhibition [102] as

"Calafate" (taxonomically described as *Berberis buxifolia* and also *Berberis microphylla*) fruits are berries that are scarcely studied. However, the available information is very interesting and indicates its potential as an antioxidant, which may be related to its high anthocyanin and hydroxycinnamic acid levels [103, 104]. Most recently, exploratory studies have revealed new native/endemic berry-like fruits such as *Luma apiculata*, *Ribes punctatum*, *Ribes magellanicum*, *Ribes cucullatum* and *Ribes tribolum* [105, 106]. *Ribes* spp., *Rubus* spp., *Gaultheria* spp., and *Berberis* spp., among others, as promising crops of functional foods or food additives/supplements such as natural colorants (**Table 3**). Some other non-scientific studies have been related with functional properties of several non-fruiting plants with anticoagulant, antithrombin, and

**Description References**

[108]

[110]

[104, 109]

The fruit is a berry, white or pink. ovoid shaped, 6 mm to 12 mm

9 mm in diameter, plum-shaped, passing from white to pink and finally to dark purple when ripe

or pink, ovoid shaped, 6 mm to 10

in diameter

mm in diameter

Antioxidant The fruit is a berry, between 6 and

Antioxidant The fruit is a berry, white



**Table 3.** Main functional properties of native/endemic berries and berry-like fruits.
