Chinese Wolfberry - Dried berries
Processing
Goji berries are grown in remote valleys in China. Plants bloom from April to October. Harvest of the mature berries depends on the weather of the cultivation area from June through October.When the berries are mature and red enough they are harvested by hand. After the harvest, the berries are washed and dried. Drying happens as quickly as possible with low temperatures to assure maximum nutritive value and to avoid decay.
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Photo: Goji berries are usually dried in the sun. |
A new development in the process is freeze-drying.
When the berries are dry they are color-sorted by hand and sieved for size semi-automatically. Unripe berries are removed, these might hold toxins.
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Photo: Harvest of the Goji berries is done by hand. Shaking them off the bushes is a common way to do this. |
Composition
The most important active components of this fruit are Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP).Ultimately, quality of the berries is determined by how full, red, and sweet they are.
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Photo: The larger the size of the Goji berries, the more powerful they are. . |
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The largest berries of the shrub generally contain the highest amount of polysaccharides and are therefore the most powerful. It is the condition under which the Lycium Barbarum plant grows however, that determines the final amount of polysaccharides of a particular batch of Goji berries.
Dried Goji berries are classified by size as follows:
Class A (supreme quality) = ca. 400-500 berries per 100 grams
Class B (good quality) = ca. 500-600 berries per 100 grams
Class C (regular quality) = ca. 600-700 berries per 100 grams.
The distinction between first and second grade berries is made mostly based on visual aspects. Berries with a (spots of a) divergent color, some damage or unattractive growth patterns are usually marked 'second choice'. The level of polysaccharides in first and second class can be considered equivalent, and so is their effect.
Most common forms
Benseng International BV offers this medicinal herb in the following product forms:| Code | Dutch name | Latin name | English name | Level quality guarantees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Productcode | Productdescription | low | normal | high | ||
| WB | goji bessen / boksdoorn | Lycium barbarum | gojiberry / wolfberry | - | - | - |
| Whole berries: | WB-Gnn | Dried Wolfberries Good Quality | - | - | - | |
| WB-Nnn | Dried Wolfberries Regular Quality | - | - | - | ||
| WB-Snn | Dried Wolfberries Supreme Quality | - | SPEC | - | ||
| WBVDnn | Freeze Dried Wolfberries | - | - | - | ||
In case you are looking for a kind of product (form) that is not mentioned on this page, please do not hesitate to ask us. In cooperation with our suppliers and manufacturers we will do our utmost best to assist you in your search for that particular product.
Casing
For any volume the dried berries are packed in bulk, they are put in plastic bags and cardboard boxes.If desired smaller quantities can be packed in transparent plastic boxes.
| 200 gram | 500 gram | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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Dried Goji berries can be packed in smaller quantities: in small transparent boxes. | |
Properties
Dried Goji berries have a sweet and slightly raw taste that compares to the taste of raisins.Larger size berries in general have a sweeter taste compared to the smaller berries.
The main active ingredients of Goji berries are Lycium Barbarum Polysaccharides (LBP). Even though the amount of polysaccharides in the berries is rarely analyzed, the level is usually somewhere between 1.0-2.5%.
Dried Goji berries have a somewhat hygroscopic nature, their texture softens when exposed to air.
Dosage
For optimal therapeutic results it is advised to take 10-20 grams of dried Goji berries daily.When you choose not to consume the berries as a whole, making tea is an option. In this case a daily dose of 20-40 grams is advisable. The advised amount for tea is higher, because after making tea more than half of the polysaccharides will not be extracted and thus remain in the berries.
There is no dangerous (damaging) maximum daily dose, but 1 gram of dried Goji berries is considered as a minimum dose. If you take less than 1 gram a day it will most likely not contribute anything.
When dried Goji berries are mixed with other medicinal herbs, a lower then optimal dose might be sufficient too.
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