NIST develops berry standards for supplements

The reference materials can be used by manufacturers and researchers as quality assurance tools for measuring amounts of organic acids in dietary supplements formulated with Vaccinium​ berries. The ratios of organic acid are berry-specific, said NIST.

The standard reference materials (SRMs) allow analytical scientists to account for the complexity of the whole berry, which was not previously possible since the reference standards were based on pure organic acids.

The new standards are reported to help detect adulteration in formulations from the berries, which include dilution with less expensive juices, such as apple or grape, or the use of blueberries instead of bilberries as a cost-saver for the manufacturer, said NIST.

NIST's new certified reference materials include: SRM 3281 Cranberry (Fruit); SRM 3282 Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Cocktail; SRM 3283 Cranberry Extract; SRM 3284 Cranberry-Containing Solid Oral Dosage Form; SRM 3285 Mixed Berry-Containing Solid Oral Dosage Form; SRM 3287 Blueberry (Fruit); and SRM 3291 Bilberry Extract.

Source: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry​
Volume 398, Issue 1, pages 425-434
“Determination of organic acids in Vaccinium berry standard reference materials”​
Authors: M.M. Phillips, R.J. Case, C.A. Rimmer, L.C. Sander, K.E. Sharpless, S.A. Wise, and J.H. Yen

The full paper is available here​.