Second Laboratory Guidance Document, Bilberry, to be Published by the Botanical Adulterants Program

The bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus, Ericaceae) extract laboratory guidance document, containing a review of 35 chemical methods to authenticate bilberry extracts, has been extensively peer-reviewed by 15 reviewers, and is scheduled for release in June 2015. In addition to the evaluation of the analytical methods, the document contains a short summary of the chemical composition of bilberry and its known adulterants, including, for example, extracts of bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum, Ericaceae), lingonberry (V. vitis-idaea), European elder (Sambucus nigra, Adoxaceae), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa, Rosaceae), Chinese mulberry (Morus australis, Moraceae), black soybean (Glycine max, Fabaceae) hull, and black rice (Oryza sativa, Poaceae). It also contains a table of marker compounds in various berry and fruit species to help detect adulteration of bilberry extracts.