Research is helping to make strawberries and raspberries more resistant to climate change and that the snacks are healthier. Supermarkets throughout Europe offer such a wide and regular selection of strawberries, raspberries and blueberrys (even in the dead of winter) it's easy to take them for granted. But behind the seemingly limitless domestic and foreign supply on store shelves, the berry sector around the world faces a serious threat: increasingly erratic growing conditions caused by climate change.

The result is that the berries are more vulnerable to pests, diseases and drought.

best breeds

Professor Bruno Mezzetti seeks answers for European producers. Expert in improvement of fruit crops and biotechnology in Marche Polytechnic University (Italy), leads a project that received EU funding to increase the genetic diversity of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries cultivated in an attempt to make them more resistant and at the same time preserve their characteristics: flavor. , texture and smell: desired by consumers.

The project, called BreedingValue and running for four years until 2024, it focuses on germplasm: the seeds, plants and plant parts useful in crop improvement, research and conservation.

“The goal is to identify the best genetic sources, particularly with regard to disease resistance, water resistance, resilience, adaptability, sugar and aroma,” Mezzetti said.

Bruno Mezzetti professor at the Polytechnic University of Marche

Berries not only excite the palate. Fruits are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, play a vital role in a healthy diet and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, senility and cancer. The global strawberry market alone amounted to around €2020 billion in 14.000, of which Europe's share was valued at around €3.500 billion, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO for its acronym in English). Since then, the market has grown. The question is how the EU berry sector can meet growing consumer demand. "It is important to ensure that people have berries available at reasonable prices and of good quality and that they maintain their flavor," said the Dr. Tuuli Haikonen, researcher at the Natural Resources Institute of Finland who participates in BreedingValue.

Strawberry fields

The EU produced 700.000 tons of berries in 2022, according to  Eurostat . Strawberries topped the list, accounting for around half of the EU's total berry production, followed by raspberries and currants. Spain is the main strawberry producer in the EU with a share of more than 25%, followed by Poland and Germany. BreedingValue brings together 20 partners in eight European countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Turkey. The focus is on increasing resilience and discovering and enhancing sensory traits (including color) that are essential for consumer appeal, according to Mezzetti. Researchers are investigating a variety of plant material that includes wild species as well as historic and modern selectively bred varieties called cultivars. Studying cultivars and wild relatives will help identify ways to increase the genetic diversity of cultivated berries.

Healthy snacks

While sweet and nutritious, the berries are also very perishable. A major challenge is ensuring that they are delivered in good condition and do not spoil before being consumed. This is where another EU-funded project comes into the picture. Called FRIETS, it is developing new dehydration techniques to increase the shelf life of berries, replace conventional salts and sugars, and create healthier snacks. "Retailers want to be able to keep berries on shelves for a long time so they don't waste as much," he said. Marianna Lagonikou, an agronomist in the European research and development department of the Greek food company Rezos Brands. Lagonikou directs FRIETS, which will last four years until August 2025 and involves 13 partners from five European countries: Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Romania and the United Kingdom.

The focus is on novel ways to process strawberries, raspberries and blackberries into snacks without added sugar, salt or chemical preservatives. Researchers are developing fruit drying techniques that help preserve the bioactive substances found in strawberries, raspberries and blackberries: natural antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds that have been shown to benefit health and extend the shelf life of berries.

Tailor-made delicacies

Techniques include microwave vacuum drying and freeze-drying, which has a relatively mild quality that reduces the risk of protein denaturation and enzyme inactivation. As a result, bioactive compounds can be preserved without compromising their nutritional or therapeutic value. A third method is osmotic dehydration, in which water is removed from the fruit by soaking it in a solution of glycerol, a natural alcohol used as a sweetening agent. "The goal is to create novel preservatives and products that use preservatives that protect all the compounds in berries," said the professor. Magdalini Krokida from the School of Chemical Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens, partner of FRIETS.

He said smart berries can be tailored to the needs of specific groups such as athletes, children, the elderly and diabetics. "If a group of people have type 2 diabetes, we can make products with reduced sugars and add more protein," Krokida said. "It depends on the type of consumers and their needs for a special nutritional diet."

This research coincides with an EU initiative called Food 2030 that aims to make Europe's food systems more sustainable and healthy.

like a superfood

FRIETS is also developing ways to preserve berries with algae-based edible coatings to avoid plastic packaging. According to Krokida, algae coatings provide a protective membrane for fruits and enhance their flavor. "Edible coatings can modify the final product and help preserve it," he said. "If we want to make it more attractive to children, we can do that."

Their view is that, with economies of scale, seaweed-based packaging has the potential to emerge as an economically viable and ecologically sustainable alternative to traditional packaging materials.

FRIETS researchers have applied for patents for their berry products and expect approval in the coming months, with the first products to be sold through Rezos Brands later in 2024, according to Krokida. "Berries are kind of like superfoods," she said. "With the new techniques, processes and technologies we have, we will have more possibilities to grow berries in Europe."

The research for this article was funded by the EU Horizon Programme, including, in the case of FRIETS, through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). The opinions of those interviewed do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission.