Elderberry Juice
Cooked/processed elderberry juice is a traditional food and natural anthocyanin source. Raw, unripe berries and other parts (leaves, stems) contain cyanogenic glycosides that can cause GI symptoms; commercial juice is heated to inactivate these.
What it is
Juice pressed from ripe Sambucus nigra (European elder) berries; deep purple, anthocyanin-rich.
Natural color; flavor; supplement ingredient.
Why it's flagged
- raw/unripe berries contain cyanogenic glycosides
- must be cooked
What regulators actually say
"Eight persons developed nausea, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, numbness, and stupor after drinking juice made from elderberries (Sambucus mexicana). The juice was made from berries, leaves, and branches of the plant."
"Sambucus nigra L. products (Sambucol) are efficacious for the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections... safety profile of cooked elderberry preparations is well established."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
Whole-food juice; no specific additive listing.
European Union — EFSA
Permitted whole-food ingredient; novel-food rules apply only to specific extracts.
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