Search Results (12)

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) is a dioecious, perennial plant that grows in the boreal climate zone. For the first time, intraspecific genetic variability of 174 individual cloudberry plants from 25 locations in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Belarus was examined. Genetic variation was assessed using microsatellite markers specific to the Rubus genus. Although high heterozygosity was observed across all sampling sites, allelic richness, the Shannon diversity index, and the number of unique genotypes revealed a geographic gradient in genetic diversity across the Eastern Baltic region, with the highest values in Estonia and the lowest in Belarus. Cluster analysis identified ten genetically distinct groups, revealing patterns of population differentiation. Principal coordinates analysis further demonstrated that some sampling sites were genetically distinct despite geographic proximity. PERMANOVA indicated that most genetic variation occurred among individuals within sampling sites rather than among sampling sites, despite the predominantly vegetative reproduction of this species. These findings improve our understanding of the intraspecific diversity and genetic structure of the cloudberry population at the southern edge of the distribution of the species, suggest factors shaping genetic structure, and provide valuable insights for conservation and management of this ecologically and economically important species. Full article

The subject of the study were carotenoids, especially xantophylls in the fruits of various species/cultivars of raspberries, including those cultivated in Poland and those originating from other regions of the world (China, Finland): Rubus occidentalis (5 cultivars); Rubus idaeus (2 cultivars red fruited and 3 cultivars yellow fruited); Rubus chamaemorus; and Rubus chingii and hybrids: R. occidentalis/R. idaeus (2) and R. idaeus/R. occidentalis (1). Based on spectrophotometric analysis, the highest carotenoid content was found in cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) fruits, while the lowest was recorded for black raspberry cultivars. Similar carotenoid content results were obtained using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The xantophyll profiles in the plant material studied were characterized—depending on the species/cultivar or hybrid—by the presence of β-apo-10′-luteinal, trans-lutein, and zeaxanthin. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the obtained hexane–acetone extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, as well as using the TLC-DB with DPPH radical. bioautography test. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska communities faced an extremely challenging situation given their socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic characteristics, as well as issues related to remoteness and colonial legacy. This paper seeks to advance the understanding of the gendered impacts and implications of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in Alaskan urban and rural communities through a resilience lens. The paper addresses two primary research questions: (1) What are the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in urban and rural Alaska, and specifically what are the gendered implications in the personal, sociocultural, and economic domains? (2) What are the strengths associated with women’s responses to COVID-19 that contribute to individual and community resilience during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and what are the constraints? This research is based on seventeen in-depth thematic interviews conducted in the city of Anchorage, the hub community of Nome, and its neighboring rural communities on the Seward Peninsula. Using the deficit-based approach combined with a strength-based perspective, this study provides a comprehensive examination of Indigenous women experiences during the pandemic across key domains of gendered impacts and responses, also providing a first-ever analysis of differences between rural and urban settings. The results revealed that despite significant challenges in personal, sociocultural, and economic domains, women demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness, while serving as caregivers at home and across their communities. The Indigenous holistic concepts of health and well-being, along with values of care, mutual support, and strong social and kinship ties, combined with traditional land- and water-based activities and cultural practices, play a crucial role in times of crisis, significantly contributing to building resilience and fostering empowerment at both the individual and community levels. Full article

Food texture is an important factor in the liking and choice of food. Food neophobia, the avoidance of unfamiliar foods, has been linked with sensitivity to textural properties of food. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between food neophobia, pickiness to food textures and the liking of food items with diverse textural properties among Finnish consumers. Finnish adults aged 18−45 years were recruited. The level of food neophobia was assessed with Food Neophobia Scale (FNS). Participant’s agreement to a statement “I’m very picky regarding food textures” was measured by a 7-point Likert scale, and the degree of liking of various food items, including vegetables, fruits and berries (e.g., mushroom, cloudberry), grain products (e.g., rye bread, oatmeal), dairy (e.g., ‘squeaky cheese’, smoothie) and other foods (e.g., tofu, other plant-based proteins, shrimp) by using a 9-point hedonic liking scale. Participants were divided into three groups based on the mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) of the FNS scores: individuals with FNS scores < M − 0.5 × SD were considered ‘neophilic’, those with scores between M ± 0.5 × SD were ‘neutral’ and those with scores > M + 0.5 × SD were ‘neophobic’. Results: Consumers (N = 135, of which 88% were females) responded to the questionnaires. Of the respondents, 32% were neophobic, 34% neutral and 34% neophilic. Neophobia was associated with self-reported pickiness to food texture; neophobics were pickier compared to neophilics and neutrals (p < 0.001). Neophobics showed lower liking of tofu (p = 0.015), other plant-based proteins (p = 0.008), ‘squeaky cheese’ (p = 0.024) and shrimps (p = 0.004) compared to neophilics. Furthermore, the neutral group had a lower liking of smoothies (p = 0.046) and tofu (p = 0.004) compared to neophilics. No other differences in food liking were shown between the groups. Neophobics were less likely to have a university-level education than neutrals and neophilics (p = 0.003); age and sex did not differ between the groups. Adult consumers with food neophobia showed pickiness to food textures and lower liking of several food items with textural properties that are known to be challenging and can be described as spongy. The textural properties of foods should be considered more frequently when developing new foods to ensure more enjoyable food experiences for consumers. Full article

Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus L.) is a circumpolar boreal plant rich in bioactive compounds and is widely used in food and in folk medicine. In this study, a combination of two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry was used for the comprehensive characterization of secondary metabolites in cloudberry lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts. Special attention was paid to the leaf extractives, which are highly enriched in polyphenolic compounds, the content of which reaches 19% in the extract (in gallic acid equivalent). The chemical composition of the polyphenolic fraction is represented mainly by the glycosylated derivatives of flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic (primarily caffeic), gallic (including the structure of galloyl ascorbate) and ellagic acids, catechin, and procyanidins. The contents of aglycones in the polyphenolic fraction were 64 and 100 mg g⁻¹ for flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids, respectively, while the content of free caffeic acid was 1.2 mg g⁻¹. This determines the exceptionally high antioxidant activity of this fraction (750 mg g⁻¹ in gallic acid equivalent) and the ability to scavenge superoxide anion radicals, which is 60% higher than that of Trolox. The lower polar fractions consist mainly of glycolipids, which include polyunsaturated linolenic acid (18:3), pentacyclic triterpenic acids, carotenoid lutein, and chlorophyll derivatives, among which pheophytin a dominates. Along with the availability, the high antioxidant and biological activities of cloudberry leaf extracts make them a promising source of food additives, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Full article

In Latvia, cloudberries are considered a valuable delicacy and have aroused interest in the possibility of commercial cultivation, as currently, they are collected only in the wild. A complex study was carried out to provide insight into the growth conditions of wild cloudberry in Latvia. The knowledge gained would provide a basis for the development of cloudberry cultivation technologies in the hemiboreal zone. Habitat characteristics, composition of surrounding vegetation, and plant mineral nutrition status were investigated in 18 study sites. Overall, the species composition of cloudberry study sites corresponded to two plant community classes: Cl. Vaccinio-Piceetea and Cl. Oxycocco-Sphagnetea. The most common species were Sphagnum magellanicum, Vaccinium myrtillus, and Oxycoccus palustris. The results clearly indicated acidic peat soils with high organic matter content and low degree of decomposition as being most suitable for cloudberry cultivation. High nutrient uptake capacity was found for wild cloudberry growing in nutrient-poor environments, as most of the leaf nutrients corresponded to the optimal levels determined for different cultivated berries. However, balanced fertilization to ensure successful plant vegetative and root growth would be recommended. The first results on wild cloudberry in Latvia indicated that optimization of P, S, B, and Mo should be the main focus. Full article

Metabolic diseases linked to obesity are an increasing problem globally. They are associated with systemic inflammation, which can be triggered by nutrients such as saturated fatty acids. Cloudberry is rich in ellagitannin and its derivatives, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, a high-fat-diet-induced mouse model of obesity was used to study the effects of air-dried cloudberry powder on weight gain, systemic inflammation, lipid and glucose metabolism, and changes in gene expression in hepatic and adipose tissues. Cloudberry supplementation had no effect on weight gain, but it prevented the rise in the systemic inflammation marker serum amyloid A (SAA) and the hepatic inflammation/injury marker alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as the increase in the expression of many inflammation-related genes in the liver and adipose tissue, such as Mcp1, Cxcl14, Tnfa, and S100a8. In addition, cloudberry supplementation impeded the development of hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycemia. The results indicate that cloudberry supplementation helps to protect against the development of metabolic inflammation and provides partial protection against disturbed lipid and glucose metabolism. These results encourage further studies on the effects of cloudberry and cloudberry-derived ellagitannins and support the use of cloudberries as a part of a healthy diet to prevent obesity-associated metabolic morbidity. Full article

High-fat diets are associated with neuronal and memory dysfunction. Berries may be useful in improving age-related memory deficits in humans, as well as in mice receiving high-fat diets. Emerging research has also demonstrated that brain health and cognitive function may be related to the dynamic changes in the gut microbiota. In this study, the impact of Nordic berries on the brain and the gut microbiota was investigated in middle-aged C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed high-fat diets (60%E fat) supplemented with freeze-dried powder (6% dwb) of bilberry, lingonberry, cloudberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, and sea buckthorn for 4 months. The results suggest that supplementation with bilberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, lingonberry, and (to some extent) cloudberry has beneficial effects on spatial cognition, as seen by the enhanced performance following the T-maze alternation test, as well as a greater proportion of DCX-expressing cells with prolongation in hippocampus. Furthermore, the proportion of the mucosa-associated symbiotic bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila increased by 4–14 times in the cecal microbiota of mice fed diets supplemented with lingonberry, bilberry, sea buckthorn, and blueberry. These findings demonstrate the potential of Nordic berries to preserve memory and cognitive function, and to induce alterations of the gut microbiota composition. Full article

Berry consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure. Intestinal microbiota transform berry phytochemicals into more bioactive forms. Thus, we performed a systematic review of randomized clinical trials to determine whether berry polyphenols in foods, extracts or supplements have effects on both the profile of gut microbiota and systolic and diastolic blood pressure in humans. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and CAB Abstracts (EBSCOhost) were searched for randomized clinical trials in humans published from 1 January 2011 to 29 October 2021. Search results were imported into Covidence for screening and data extraction by two blinded reviewers, who also performed bias assessment independently. The literature search identified 216 publications; after duplicates were removed, 168 publications were screened with 12 full-text publications assessed for eligibility. Ultimately three randomized clinical trials in humans met the eligibility criteria. One randomized clinical trial showed a low risk of bias while the other two randomized clinical trials included low, high or unclear risk of bias. Together the randomized clinical trials showed that berry consumption (Aronia berry, strawberries, raspberries, cloudberries and bilberries) for 8–12 weeks had no significant effect on both blood pressure and the gut microbiota. More randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the effects of berry consumption on the profile of gut microbiota and blood pressure in humans. Full article

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common cause of surgical site infections and its treatment is challenging due to the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Natural berry-derived compounds have shown antimicrobial potential, e.g., ellagitannins such as sanguiin H-6 and lambertianin C, the main phenolic compounds in Rubus seeds, have shown antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sanguiin H-6 and lambertianin C fractionated from cloudberry seeds, on the MRSA growth, and as treatment of a MRSA biofilm development in different growth media in vitro and in vivo by using a murine wound infection model where sanguiin H-6 and lambertianin C were used to prevent the MRSA infection. Sanguiin H-6 and lambertianin C inhibited the in vitro biofilm development and growth of MRSA. Furthermore, sanguiin H-6 showed significant anti-MRSA effect in the in vivo wound model. Our study shows the possible use of sanguiin H-6 as a preventive measure in surgical sites to avoid postoperative infections, whilst lambertianin C showed no anti-MRSA activity. Full article

Finnish non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are valued on the national and international markets. Yet, the annual marketed quantities vary considerably, causing instability in supply chains. Thus, climatic and economic factors affecting the annually aggregated supply of top-marketed mushrooms (ceps, milk caps, and chanterelle) and berries (bilberry, cowberry, and cloudberry) in Finland were studied. Data on mushroom and berry market prices (€/kg) and quantities (kg) were obtained from the statistics on annual quantities of berries and mushrooms bought by organized trade and industry in Finland (1978–2016). The species-specific supply functions were described as linear regression models, where annually aggregated quantities were predicted as a function of climatic and economic variables. Our results suggested that climatic variables influenced the marketed quantities of NTFPs through the biological yields of berries and mushrooms, and that the market price had a negative effect on the marketed quantities of ceps, milk caps, and berries. The markets for NTFPs have become more international at the second half of the study period (1999–2016), modifying the price-quantity relationships of ceps, milk caps and cloudberries. Additionally, the number of visas issued to Thai pickers increased the marketed quantities of bilberries and cowberries. Full article

A Western lifestyle with low physical activity and a diet rich in sugar, fat and processed food contribute to higher incidences of diabetes and obesity. Enhanced glucose uptake in human liver cells was observed after treatment with phenolic extracts from different Nordic berries. All berry extracts showed higher inhibition against α-amylase and α-glucosidase than the anti-diabetic agent acarbose. Total phenolic content and phenolic profiles in addition to antioxidant activities, were also investigated. The berries were extracted with 80% methanol on an accelerated solvent extraction system (ASE) and then purified by C-18 solid phase extraction (SPE). Among the ASE methanol extracts, black chokeberry, crowberry and elderberry extracts showed high stimulation of glucose uptake in HepG2 cells and also considerable inhibitory effect towards carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes. SPE extracts with higher concentrations of phenolics, resulted in increased glucose uptake and enhanced inhibition of α-amylase and α-glucosidase compared to the ASE extracts. Crowberry and cloudberry were the most potent 15-lipoxygenase inhibitors, while bog whortleberry and lingonberry were the most active xanthine oxidase inhibitors. These results increase the value of these berries as a component of a healthy Nordic diet and have a potential benefit against diabetes. Full article