Fresh Maqui Berries from Patagonia, Chile | Photo by Marcus Sims

Recent research has pointed to the correlation between cancer fighting properties of the high powered antioxidant delphinidin. Delphinidin is one of the main antioxidants found in maqui berry that grows wild in the Patagonia region of Chile. Long used by the Mapuche Indians for its medicinal qualities, maqui berry is now starting to gain recognition in the modern world as powerful antioxidant supplement that also possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

The results of a study conducted at the University of Vienna, Institute of Analytical and Food Chemistry indicate that delphinidin acts as a broad-spectrum inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK’s). RTK’s have long been known to play a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis. Given these recent findings, we conclude that delphinidin has the potential to directly interfere or prohibit with key tumor-host interactions, although the use of delphinidin as a cancer management agent may be compromised due to its instability factors. Nevertheless, delphinidin could represent a novel lead agent in the future development of chemotherapeutic preventative medicine.

You can find the full research article here.

About Patagonia Maqui Berry Company

We have conducted extensive scientific testing of the maqui berry including a broad-spectrum chromatogram that has shown maqui berry to contain high amounts of delphinidin.

Patagonia Maqui Berry Company is a South America Exports venture. South America Exports is wholly owned and operated by Marcus Sims. Patagonia Maqui Berry Company is dedicated to the procurement and consolidation of exotic fruits, vegetables, herb products and more that come from South America. Starting with the maqui berry from Chile, we are on a mission to source and provide only the best and highest caliber botanicals to the world marketplace.

For more information visit us online or call today at (214) 717-4914.

Maqui berries growing on a maqui bush | Photo by Marcus Sims

Natural ingredients manufacturer, NP Nutra, has launched a certified organic Maqui freeze-dried Powder, adding to its growing line of high quality Superfruit ingredients. 

With sales growth of organic products now outpacing conventionally grown foods, the health industry is seeing an unprecedented demand for organically grown ingredients. Andrew Carter, NP Nutra’s Quality Control Manager states, “Inquiries for developing and producing more certified organic ingredients keep coming in from all parts of the food and beverage industry, suggesting that organic products have finally become mainstream.” 

Maqui berries have astonishing levels of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, delphinidin, malvidin, petunidin, cumarins, triterpenes, flavonoids, and cyanidin. They are also a good source of vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and iron. Maqui berries are traditionally used to promote strength, endurance, and overall health. The antioxidants in Maqui berries aid normal function of the body’s cells, and may help maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

See entire atricle here.

About Patagonia Maqui Berry Company

Patagonia Maqui Berry Company is a South America Exports venture. South America Exports is wholly owned and operated by Marcus Sims. Patagonia Maqui Berry Company is dedicated to the procurement and consolidation of exotic fruits, vegetables, herb products and more that come from South America. Starting with the maqui berry from Chile, we are on a mission to source and provide only the best and highest caliber botanicals to the world marketplace.

For more information email us today or call (214) 717-4914.

“Berry aficionados are already aware that berries that are dark red, blue and purple taste great. But what most of these people dont know is that these berries have a unique nutritional profile and contain a range of flavonoids that are known to benefit ones health in numerous ways.”

“Among berries, the maqui berry is touted to have the highest antioxidant value.”

Click here for entire press release.

Maqui berries growing on a maqui bush.

Patagonia Maqui Berry Company has taken the time and money to scientifically research the maqui berry in coordination with some of the food industries leading research groups including Brunswick Labs, Bell Advisory Services (now Bell Ventures) & Texas A&M Horticultural Science Facilities. As such, we have conducted multiple research studies on the maqui berry including Total ORAC (HORAC, NORAC SORAC, SOAC) antioxidant value, Glycation Inhibition and lipid tests on the maqui seeds, and advanced broad spectrum chromatography tests to identify polyphenol compounds.

For more information or to purchase maqui berry, call (214) 717-4914 or visit us at www.patagoniamaqui.com

The maqui berry story has just recently been released by Velocity International to promote their maqui based health and weight loss beverage. The video was recently created while on location in Chile during the last harvest that took place in February of 2010. Velocity International sources all their Patagonia Premium Maqui Berry directly from the manufacturer in Santiago, Chile.

Mapuche Indians and Maqui

Mapuche Indians & Maqui:

Read more: http://www.patagoniamaqui.com/chile/maqui-mapuche-indians/ 
Purchase Your Maqui Berry Today! Patagonia Maqui Company

At Patagonia Maqui Berry Company, we have recently received our NOP/EU Organic status for maqui berry freeze-dried powder. How important is organic status? Lets take a look and find out.

Do we need organic certification for Maqui?

The question being asked is do we need to have a system in place to ensure that products advertised as organic are actually organic or should we simply trust everyone involved in the organic supply chain to do the right thing in order to eliminate certification? This would in effect eliminate a massive overload of  bureaucracy and red tape that currently exists within the NOP/EU organic certification process.

Consumers need to have an understanding of the “organic supply chain” and how it works. There is alot that goes on behind the scenes in order to get that “Organic” sticker and/or label on the foods we are buying these days. The supply chain is the collection of steps involved in creating an organic product, starting from land factors, collection techniques and manufacturing considerations. The supply chain exists from the field all the way to the end customer. The following is an example so we can see what a simplified chain could look like.

EU Organic Logo

First, the land where the maqui berry is grown must be free from pesticides and fertilizers for a certain period of time.  The maqui berries must be grown in a manner that complies with organic regulations which is referred to NOP (National Organic Program) in the USA. Once grown, the maqui berries are processed, typically in two stages.  First, to create a puree and then secondly, to convert this puree into a powder.  All processing must be carried out by an organically certified processor and the consolidator of the fruit must pay for a field certificate in which the maqui grows.  Often the puree is manufactured where the maqui is grown in Chile and then shipped to an organic processor in the US where it is converted into a powder.  The powder is then sold into the USA by a supplier/distributor where it is sold direct to the consumer and/or sold into the food ingredients arena. If the powder is encapsulated, those facilities must also have organic certification.  As you can see there’s a lot of parties involved in making what is a relatively simple product.

Organic certification is the process that ensures that everyone in the above chain adheres to the rules and doesn’t get tempted by cutting corners to make a fast buck.  The process is arduous and does add cost to the end product but it aims to ensure that the organic product a customer buys is actually organic.  Certification is necessary because for many commodities, it is very difficult to tell the difference between organic and non-organic products without certification. Think of certification in terms of authenticity that allows for the “Organic” label claim.

How can you tell whether an organic product is organically certified?  That’s quite easy, simply look for the organic certification code on the product.  It should be made of three elements: country code, certifier code and organic certification description.  For example, the code on all Soil Association products is “GB organic certification 5″ (this will change after July 2010).  This code is on the product so that customers have someone they can contact to verify that the product is actually organic.  Remember, if it doesn’t have a code, it is not organically certified.

Buy organic maqui berry freeze-dried powder today direct from the manufacturer at www.patagoniamaqui.com or call 214-717-4914 for more information.

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A popular drink in Brazil, coconut water is catching on in the U.S. both as a lifestyle beverage and as a natural sports drink. Celebrity usage and endorsements have created an appealing high profile hipster-chic image of the beverage. Coconut water, which is extracted from young green coconuts, appeals to health-conscious consumers since it is high in potassium and electrolytes, and has no fat, cholesterol or added sugar. Originally sold in natural food stores, health clubs, gyms, bodegas, and yoga studios, is now moving into wider channels of distribution. As coconut water becomes more widely distributed, first time consumers will be seeking a variety of taste choices including Maqui.

Mapuche Indians and Maqui

Maqui has long been used as both a medicinal botanical and an alcoholic beverage used for hundreds of years by the Mapuche Indians of Chile and the Patagonia regions of South America. It has long been revered that the Mapuche Indians attested their strength and abilities to protect their land from invasion to the power they received from consuming the maqui berry and more specifically an alcoholic beverage known as chicha made from the maqui berry.

Maqui Berry Science:

Recently discovered to have extraordinary high levels of polyphenols, the maqui berries are rich in antioxidants with more than double the amount of TOTAL ORAC as scientifically proven by Brunswick Laboratories. The anthocyanins in maqui berries protect low density lipoproteins from oxidation, reduce inflammation and help to protect our cells from oxidative stress. Maqui berries are traditionally used today to increase strength, stamina and energy levels as well as to treat ailments such as sore throat, diarrhea, ulcers and fever.

Maqui Berry Nutrition Label

Patagonia Maqui Company has taken the time and money to scientifically research the maqui berry in coordination with some of the food industries leading research groups including Brunswick Labs, Bell Advisory Services (now Bell Ventures) & Texas A&M Horticultural Science Facilities. As such, we have conducted multiple research studies on the maqui berry including Total ORAC, Glycation Inhibition, ORAC and lipid tests on the maqui seeds, and advanced broad spectrum chromatography tests to identify polyphenol compounds.

Click here to view actual Brunswick Laboratory Certificates which demonstrate the powerful antioxidant properties of the Maqui.

Buy Maqui Berry:

No you can buy maqui berry direct from the manufacturer in Santiago, Chile. Email us or call today at (214) 717-4914 in order to find out more regarding the purchase of our maqui berry products.

www.patagoniamaqui.com

Maqui berries growing on a maqui bush.

Maqui Berry is fast becoming a new flavor in the beverage world as Honest Tea rolls out their Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry. The combination of these two flavors along with the new sugar substitute Stevia makes this product bold, innovative and cutting edge. The combination of antioxidants from this maqui blend makes it one of the beverage world’s most unique at this stage of antioxidant awareness in the marketplace as well as its acceptance as a long term health benefits that reduces age related diseases. The fact that you can now buy Maqui Berry in the form of a tea blend once again reinforces the flavor and health benefit acceptance into the marketplace of the beverage industry. At Patagonia Maqui Company, we are happy to see this progression into the marketplace and expect more and more maqui innovations, flavors, blends as well as overall additive to the food ingredients industry.

MAQUI Story:

Maqui Berries grows in the Patagonia region of the most famous region of Chile, the Patagonia. The  Patagonia offers all the dramatic landscape one would expect from the world’s ultimate land’s end. Here the South American continent falls away in a dazzling explosion of islands, glaciers, icebergs and mountains. It is truly one of Mother Nature’s grand finales.

The Mapuches Indians, native to this rugged landscape are champions of survival. They are one of the few tribes who have survived almost totally unchanged in their traditions. One of their traditions is the Maqui. Maqui is a small black to purple berry growing the mountains of the Patagonian region.

Maqui berries have nearly twice the antioxidant value as that of Acai. However Maqui lacks the omega oils that are so rich in the Acai. Maqui is being compared to Brazilian Acai juice because of its antioxidant capacity and even though they both are rich in anthocyanins neither one is better than the other. The savvy consumer will see the benefits of both and look to take advantage of both.

ACAI vs. Maqui Berry (Total ORAC)

MAQUI Science:

Maqui Berries contain a unique blend of polyphenols and are rich in antioxidant power.

Patagonia Maqui has taken the time and money to scientifically research maqui berries in coordination with some of the food industries leading research groups including Brunswick Labs, Bell Advisory Services (now Bell Ventures) & Texas A&M Horticultural Science Facilities. As such, we have conducted multiple research studies on the maqui berry including Total ORAC, Glycation Inhibition, ORAC and lipid tests on the maqui seeds, and advanced broad spectrum chromatography tests to identify polyphenol compounds.

Aristotelia Chilensis (Maqui or Chilean Wineberry)  is a species of the Elaeocarpaceae family that grows wild in Chile and Argentina. The Maqui bush which reaches a height of up to 4m-5m (12-15 feet) and has dark green leaves that grow opposite and oval. The flowers are unisexual, green colored and large. The purple maqui berry fruits are 4 to 6 mm in diameter (smaller than a blueberry), and contain 4 to 8 angular seeds. There is also a white variety of the maqui berry which grows in the Patagonia region in far less volumes than its purple counterpart.

KNOWN ANTHOCYANIDINS: (Delfinidin-3-sambubioside-5-glucoside), (Delfinidin 3,5-diglucoside), (Cyanidin 3-sambubioside-5-glucoside), (Cyanidin 3, 5-diglucoside), (Delphinidin 3-sambubioside), (Delphinidin 3-glucoside), (Cyanidin 3-sambubioside), (Cyanidin 3-glucoside)

For more information and/or to buy Maqui Berry direct from the manufacturer, call us at 214-717-4914 or visit us online at www.patagoniamaqui.com.

Maqui berries growing on a maqui bush.

Marcus Sims and Patagonia Maqui Company are getting ready for the Supplyside East food ingredients show next week, April 26-28, 2010. Maqui berry comes from the Patagonia regions of Chile and Argentina. This antioxidant rich berry has been used by Mapuche Indians in Chile for hundreds of years for ceremonial and medicinal purposes. Maqui is now becoming more available as the news spreads regarding its antioxidant rich properties that can help sustain a healthier lifestyle as well as prevent age related diseases.

The Patagonia Maqui Company is proud to attend the Supplyside East event this year as more and more maqui berry products begin to enter the marketplace. Marcus Sims states, “Last year was still a nascent time for the maqui berry. This year we anticipate much more awareness as companies begin to learn about the powerful antioxidant properties of the deep purple berry from the Patagonia regions of Chile & Argentina.

Patagonia Maqui has taken the time and money to scientifically research the maqui berry in coordination with some of the food industries leading research groups including Brunswick Labs, Bell Advisory Services (now Bell Ventures) & Texas A&M Horticultural Science Facilities. As such, we have conducted multiple research studies on the maqui berry including Total ORAC, Glycation Inhibition, ORAC and lipid tests on the maqui seeds, and advanced broad spectrum chromatography tests to identify polyphenol compounds.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

NOTE: Aristotelia Chilensis (Maqui or Chilean Wineberry)  is a species of the Elaeocarpaceae family that grows wild in Chile and Argentina. The Maqui bush which reaches a height of up to 4m-5m (12-15 feet) and has dark green leaves that grow opposite and oval. The flowers are unisexual, green colored and large. The purple maqui berry fruits are 4 to 6 mm in diameter (smaller than a blueberry), and contain 4 to 8 angular seeds. There is also a white variety of the maqui berry which grows in the Patagonia region in far less volumes than its purple counterpart.

KNOWN ANTHOCYANIDINS: (Delfinidin-3-sambubioside-5-glucoside), (Delfinidin 3,5-diglucoside), (Cyanidin 3-sambubioside-5-glucoside), (Cyanidin 3, 5-diglucoside), (Delphinidin 3-sambubioside), (Delphinidin 3-glucoside), (Cyanidin 3-sambubioside), (Cyanidin 3-glucoside)

Read more: http://www.patagoniamaqui.com/faqmaqui-2/faqmaqui/ 

Maqui berries growing on a maqui bush.

The fruit of Aristotelia Chilensis, commonly known as maqui, has been demonstrated to exhibit significantly high antioxidant capacity in vitro, especially for singlet oxygen and peroxyl scavenging, and, therefore, may have possible health benefits. In this study, the antioxidant capacities of freezedried maqui fruit pulp/skin powder (Patagonia Maqui) were evaluated by different assays with various free radical sources.

Plants turn energy from sunlight into bioenergy through a chemical process called photosynthesis, which also produces oxygen in its breathable form. However, photosynthesis can also generate an alternate form of singlet oxygen, which is a highly reactive and toxic substance that destroys biological molecules. The damaging effects of sunlight on many organic materials (polymers, etc.) are often attributed to the effects of singlet oxygen. The future use of maqui berry extracts in the field of cosmeceuticals is an interesting application given the singlet oxygen antioxidant power of the maqui berry.