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i iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface 1 Report of the International Symposium on Superfruits: Myth or Truth? 2 Appendix 1 – Programme of the Plenary Sessions of the Symposium 6 Appendix 2 – Programme of the Parallel Sessions of the Symposium 10 Appendix 3 – Abstracts and Papers 12 A. Plenary Sessions Abstracts and Papers 12 B. Parallel Sessions Abstracts and Papers 56 Appendix 4 – Welcome Addresses 129 A. Kaison Chang, Organizing Chairperson and Secretary, Intergovernmental Group 129 on Bananas and Tropical Fruits, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) B. His Excellency Dato’ Mohd Hashim Bin Abdullah, Chairperson, International 130 Tropical Fruits Network C. His Excellency Ha Cong Tuan, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, 131 Vietnam Appendix 5 – Organizing Committee 133 Appendix 6 – List of Participants 134 Appendix 7 – Links to Presentations 138 1 PREFACE The steady growth in population and income, and the rising awareness of the positive nutritional value of fruits are generating positive spin offs on world consumption of tropical fruits. Market opportunities are developing rapidly in emerging markets as their economies significantly expand, while demand in Europe and the United States remain strong. The world fruit market has evolved significantly in the past two decades. Aside from quality, the health benefits of fruit consumption have been promoted extensively, and the term “superfruits” gained significant usage and attention in recent years as a term synonymous with the marketing strategy to promote the health benefits of certain fruits, including pomegranates, cranberries and blueberries. In addition, the biodiversity of fruits, i.e., the individual varieties and cultivars, are attracting attention, as the nutrients and bioactive non-nutrients within species can vary dramatically. Several cooperatives and associations that produce and market these fruits have developed an effective strategy using the content of “antioxidants” in their fruits as an indicator for promoting the health benefits of their fruits. Scientists and nutritionists have differing points of view on the use of the term. Some claim that there is no scientifically objective assessment of the potential health benefits of fruits in this category. Similarly, there is no definitive list of superfruits and new fruits are regularly put forward as superfruits. In addition to pome- granates, blueberries and cranberries, examples include: acai, avocado, mangosteen, blackberry, rasp- berry, strawberry, lingonberry, certain banana varieties, and yumberry. However, most fruits are packed with nutrients and yet, some are not perceived as being “super”. Hence, while there is potential to use this term to promote some of the lesser known tropical fruits, this devel- opment could also potentially have a negative impact on the consumption of the more established tropical fruits, particularly in an increasingly crowded and competitive international fruit market. The International Symposium on Superfruits: Myth or Truth? was organized at the behest of the Intergovern- mental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits to examine the use of the term “superfruit”, which has been used successfully particularly by the producers of blueberries and cranberries. The symposium examined latest research findings to determine whether there were nutritional and agronomical evidence to support the claim of a fruit (species and varieties) being a “superfruits” and whether these were adequate to provide a definition. The symposium also identified threats and opportunities for tropical fruits in the global fruit market, and within the context of enhancing food security through agricultural development, the symposium attempted to identify strategies and models to integrate smallholders in the value chain. Mention should be made that only papers that were received by the Secretariat have been included in these proceedings. However, all the presentations are available in Appendix 7. Kaison Chang Secretary Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits Trade and Markets Division Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2 REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUPERFRUITS: MYTH OR TRUTH? I. INTRODUCTION At its Fifth session in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in May 2011, the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits (IGG/BATF) suggested that the Secretariat organize a Symposium on Superfruits as a concept to promote the consumption of tropical fruits. The symposium was to constitute an essential forum for discussion on the approach, the benefits and gaps to make tropical fruits production and marketing profitable and sustainable over time. The world fruit market has evolved significantly in the past two decades. Aside from quality, the health benefits of fruit consumption have been used more frequently to promote various fruits. The term “superfruits” has gained significant usage and attention in recent years as a term synonymous with the marketing strategy to promote the health benefits of certain fruits which do not have worldwide popularity, such as pomegranates, cranberries and blueberries. In addition, the biodiversity of fruits, i.e., the individual varieties and cultivars, are attracting attention, as the nutrients and bioactive non-nutrients within species can vary dramatically. II. RATIONALE OF THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUPERFRUTS: MYTH OR TRUTH? While there is potential to use the term “superfruit” to promote some of the lesser known tropical fruits, this development could also potentially have a negative impact on the consumption of the more established tropical fruits, particularly in an increasingly crowded and competitive international fruit market. Therefore, the first objective of the symposium was to determine whether “superfruits” was based on scientific fact or more of a marketing promotion strategy to increase consumption of certain fruits. If there was solid basis for the terminology, then should superfruits be defined? The second objective was to determine the threats and opportunities for tropical fruits, by first analyzing the market and recommend appropriate marketing strategies. These included: • An overall assessment of production, consumption, trade and price developments; • The demand trend of tropical fruit “superfruits” compared to other tropical fruits, both domestically and in export markets; • The substitution effects of tropical superfruits on traditional tropical fruits; • The price premiums of tropical superfruits compared to other tropical fruits; • The markets for “superfruits”; and • The promotional requirements and returns. Finally, within the context of enhancing food security through agricultural development, the symposium was to identify strategies and models to integrate smallholders in the value chain. The symposium examined the implementation of effective policies to address the concerns of smallholder producers, which included: • Access to credit; Institutional building; • The formation of legal commercial entities, such as cooperatives, to empower small holders; • Improved transparency through regular dissemination of market information; • Development of quality standards and grading to meet superfruits requirements, if necessary; • Development and adoption of appropriate technology to improve productivity and quality to better meet market requirements; • The necessary structures to meet sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT) requirements of import markets; and • Identifying alternative cost-effective treatments for fruit exports. 3 III. ACTION PLAN AGREED TO BY THE SYMPOSIUM Following extensive discussion at the International Symposium on Superfruits: Myth or Truth?, participants agreed on the following action plan and recommended that it be submitted to the Intergovernmental Sub- Group on Tropical Fruits for consideration at its next session. A. SCIENTIFIC DEFINITION In regard to the scientific definition of “superfruits”, the Symposium concluded that the label “superfruit” is based on two criteria: the nutritive value and the extranutritional benefits. Although antioxidant capacity is the most widely recognized bioactive attribute of a superfruit, most scientists realize that this is only a small part of the overall picture. Bioactive molecules may have potential health benefits independent or additional to their antioxidant effect. Further comprehensive research is needed to fully understand the metabolic pathways and biological role of the bioactive compounds responsible for the benefits observed on health. However, final validation should be obtained with testsin vivo. Outcomes Although the consensus of the symposium was that superfruits had inherent characteristics that made them uniquely beneficial for human health, the category was not yet well defined scientifically, and was obfuscated by marketing jargon. Hence, one of the most significant contributions to arise out of the symposium would have been to establish a universally recognized definition of the superfruit category that could have been referenced by researchers and commercial market professionals on a global scale. The symposium agreed that the defining characteristics of the superfruit category included: a) Nutritional composition (presence of significant vitamin, fibre, micronutrient, and other nutrient content to contribute to daily requirements for optimal human growth and development); b) Extranutritional composition (presence of pharmacologically relevant levels of health-promoting