Coffee Fruit Self-Affirmed GRAS

MOMENCE, Ill.VDF FutureCeuticals announced that the whole fruit of Coffea Arabica, the coffee bush, is self-affirmed GRAS for use in food products. The small red fruit contains the bean.

An independent expert panel performed an evaluation of FutureCeuticals line of CoffeeBerry® products, including CoffeeBerry Whole Fruit Powder, CoffeeBerry Juice Concentrate Powder, and CoffeeBerry Forte Soluble Concentrate. The panel reviewed its toxicology profile and published research, and concluded that the coffee berries are safe for use as antioxidant ingredients in food and beverages, including coffee and tea, fruit and vegetable juices, water, energy and sports drinks, soups, candies and confections, and pastries.   

John M. Hunter, General Manager of FutureCeuticals, Inc., commented: "As the only product that safely preserves the robust nutritional profile of the whole coffee fruit, CoffeeBerry has unparalleled antioxidant properties. A single gram of the CoffeeBerry Whole Powder provides the approximate antioxidant potential equivalent to 33 grams of blueberries. Just 1 gram of our 85% phenolic acids CoffeeBerry concentrate yields 15,000 ORAC units per gram, or 1,500,000 ORAC units per 100 grams.  The GRAS certification adds to these products' considerable appeal and exemplifies FutureCeuticals' ongoing commitment to creating, substantiating, and delivering the best nutritional products and ingredients available anywhere."

"We have invested considerable resources to ongoing research and clinical testing of our CoffeeBerry technology and its many possible applications.  The results continue to support the product line's health benefits."  Hunter stated that most recent testing indicates that a single serving of CoffeeBerry may stimulate Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity, a human blood enzyme directly associated with maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels. CoffeeBerry also  may reduce oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), "bad" cholesterol that, when not managed, can lead to conditions such as atherosclerosis, strokes, and heart attacks.