Iprona launches sports nutrition product-friendly tart cherry extract

The extract’s polyphenol and anthocyanin content are said to be standardised and produced without the use of solvents through a fully traceable European supply chain.

“Tart cherry is a highly promising ingredient in the sport recovery space,”​ explains Iprona’s CEO Stephan Breitenberger.

“We are realising that promise by using our solvent-free production method and vertically integrated European supply chain to deliver an extract standardised to polyphenols and anthocyanins. ​

“We look forward to working with our partners to bring the benefits of tart cherry to more consumers through CherryCraft.”​

Proprietary tech ​

Along with Iprona’s elderberry extract ElderCraft, CherryCraft was made using Iprona’s Polyphenol Technology (IPT) that uses a mechanical, solvent-free separation and enrichment ultra-filtration process.

This process uses specially-designed membranes with different pore sizes to separate pressed fruit juice into two streams based on the sizes of the molecules.

Larger molecules including polyphenols and anthocyanins are concentrated in one direction, smaller molecules such as sugars and mineral salts in another.

This methodology allows for enrichment without resorting to using solvents as well as retaining the entire fruit matrix of the berry.

Tart cherry’s properties have gained much prominence in the sport nutrition arena after an emerging body of studies connect the extract to improved antioxidative capacity, inflammation and lipid peroxidation.

Other work has suggested a beneficial effect on sport performance, sleep and cardiovascular health.

Exercise recovery​

UK scientists previously reported​​ that drinking cherry juice may be as effective as medication in reducing high blood pressure.

The findings revealed that men with early symptoms of high blood pressure (hypertension) reduced this by 7% after drinking Montmorency cherry (MC) juice, which the team said was comparable to current medications that are available to treat hypertension.

In sports-related research​​, tart cherry was shown to enhance recovery from exercise induced muscle damage​​ among healthy, active young women.

Iprona now joins other developers and manufacturers of berry and fruit-based ingredients such as Denmark-based Asiros.

The Copenhagen biotech firm produces a range of berry powders produced via solvent-free process that protects the nutrients and polyphenols, bypassing the shortcomings of ethanol and water extraction methods.