SUPERFOOD INGREDIENTS acerola product formats

Our wholesale Acerola products, both organic and conventional, are available in the following formats:

Powder Products: Freeze Dried Acerola Powder, Acerola Powder Extract, Acerola Juice Powder

Liquid Products: Acerola Pulp

Some further detail on each product format and their possible applications in the Food, Beverage, Nutraceutical and Cosmeceutical sectors is provided below.

Organic Freeze Dried Acerola Powder

Acerola's high content of vitamin C is carefully protected during processing. The Acerola cherries are harvested when ripe and are fresh frozen ready for secondary processing. Freeze Drying is one of the best ways of drying the acerola cherry; because the vitamin C (in the form of ascorbic acid ) natural to acerola is heat sensitive, by drying the fruit at low temperatures during the freeze drying process, there is only minimal loss of nutrition, making the freeze dried powder highly functional and ideal for nutraceutical and powder supplement applications, as well as any applications for which vitamin C claims need to be made. The resulting powder is 98% pure organic acerola, with just 2% silicon dioxide added to ensure that the powder remains free-flowing. Nothing has been removed other than the water, resulting in a vibrant tasting orange powder with a good fiber content. Freeze Dried Acerola Powder is shelf stable and can be stored at ambient temperature.

Organic Acerola Powder Extract

Our Organic and Conventional Acerola Powdered Extracts is an ideal format for nutraceitucals, health supplements and for encapsulation in products for which a standardised natural Vitamin C content is desirable. These powder extracts are available in a range of standardised vitimin C levels, from 5% to 35% as required. The fruit for these powders are either harvested when ripe or whilst still green, depending on the desired taste and ascorbic acid content. The juice of the acerola cherry is extracted and then spray dried with the help of a drying aid (maltodextrin). The resulting powder is soluble in water, lending itself to liquid applications if required. The Acerola Powder Extracts are shelf stable and can be stored at ambient temperature.

Organic Acerola Juice Powder

Our Organic and Conventional Acerola Juice Powders are an ideal format for beverage applications, or superfruit mixes intended for adding to water, as this product presents good solubility in water. The juice of the fruit is spray dried with the help of a drying aid (maltodextrin). Although this powder does not present the same levels of vitamin C as the freeze dried acerola powder, it does still provide the flavour and colour of acerola, along with many of the nutritional benefits. Acerola Juice Powder is shelf stable and can be stored at ambient temperature.

Organic Acerola Pulp

Our Organic Acerola Pulp is made by depulping the freshly harvested acerola cherries, removing only the seeds, and rapidly freezing the resulting pulp, ready to be used in the food and beverage industry for making high vitamin C juices, ice-creams, yoghuts and desserts. This product provides all of the goodness, flavour and colour that you would wish from a superfruit without any other ingredients added.

SUPERFOOD INGREDIENTS acerola harvesting and production

The Vitamin C Superfood

Acerola cherries (Malpighia emarginata) are thought to originate from the Yutucan area in the subtropics. Due to increased popularity, the sweet, orange-pink fruit is widely distributed throughout South and Latin America, as well as the Southern states of the USA. The largest producer of acerola cherries is Brazil, where the fruit has long been enjoyed as a health food and natural beverage. It is one of the nation’s top sources of Vitamin C.

In conjunction with a healthy balanced diet, acerola cherries can be a great way to supplement the body’s demand for important micronutrients. Although the superfood can be eaten fresh, it is highly perishable, so is more commonly used to make juices, syrups, pulps and powders.

The amount of Vitamin C found in acerola cherries can depend on when they are harvested. When unripe, the Vitamin C levels are at their highest, but when fully ripe, the flavor of the fruit is at its sweetest. The superfruit can be picked depending on the desired characteristics of the end product.

Acerola as a Functional Ingredient

Superfood Ingredients offers a wide range of acerola products. Our Acerola Dry Extract is produced in Brazil, and can be made from ripe fruit for a sweeter flavor, or unripe fruit for a higher natural Vitamin C level. The extract is good for beverage applications and as a natural preservative.

Also from Brazil, we offer Acerola Frozen Pulp. The berries are harvested by local farmers in the Amazon region and depulped, pasteurized, bulk packed and flash frozen. It makes a great addition to  juices, smoothies, and ice creams.

Superfood Ingredients’ Freeze Dried Acerola Powder is dried at low temperatures to maintain nutrient levels. It works well as a health supplement and for adding to cereal bars and smoothies.