Sweet and Sour Cherries: Origin, Distribution, Nutritional Composition and Health Benefits

Publication date: Available online 4 March 2019Source: Trends in Food Science & TechnologyAuthor(s): Federica Blando, B. Dave OomahStructured AbstractBackgroundThe production and consumption of cherries has increased recently due to consumer awareness of their health benefits and antioxidant value, since they are rich in polyphenolics (namely anthocyanins and hydroxycinnamic acids). Global sweet cherry production increased over the last 16 years from 1.9 to 2.32 million tons, with Turkey, USA, Iran, as the main producers. Sour cherry production has been static during the same period at around 1.1-1.3 million tons concentrated in Europe, with the Russian Federation as the predominant producer.Scope and approachThis review presents a comprehensive survey of the current literature on sweet and sour cherries, from the origin and distribution of the fruit crop to their antioxidant and health properties. Moreover, possible further investigations are highlighted after summarizing the existing body of knowledge.Key findings and conclusionsSweet cherries are mostly consumed fresh, and are also highly perishable, whereas sour cherries are most frequently processed. Sweet cherries are appreciated for their organoleptic aspects, such as taste, texture and color, whereas processed sour cherries are recognized for their higher bioactive content. Both sweet and sour cherries exert beneficial health effects to counteract oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, modulate blood glucose, and enha...
Source: Trends in Food Science and Technology - Category: Food Science Source Type: research