The antioxidant efficacy of Black Goji Berry Extract is derived from its anthocyanin content of 3.2-4.5 mg/g, considerably higher than that of red wolfberry (1.8 mg/g), and ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) value is as high as 28,000 μmol TE/g. 2.3 times higher than blueberry extract. Its new Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) molecular weight is found to be in 10-50 kDa, and hydroxyl radical removal efficiency is as high as 92%, a 2021 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study reported. Its superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was also boosted by 37%. Subjects who were given 500 mg daily of Black Goji Berry Extract in clinical trials had a 29% reduction in serum MDA (marker for lipid peroxidation), a 18% rise in density of skin collagen, and a 42% reduction in UV-induced DNA damage after eight weeks. In addition, its proanthocyanidin B2 accounts for 65% of total polyphenols, which can suppress NF-κB inflammatory pathway activity and reduce C-reactive protein (CRP) levels by 34% in chronic inflammation patients.
From the production point of view, black wolfberry requires a unique arid condition (annual precipitation < 200mm) for cultivation. The anthocyanin content of Ningxia producing area fruits is 22% higher than that of Qinghai producing area fruits. Supercritical CO2 extraction process can retain 98% of heat-sensitive antioxidant constituents at 35 MPa and 45℃, while the component loss rate of traditional ethanol extraction process is 15%. In 2023, Ningxia-based company improved the bioavailability of Black Goji Berry Extract from 48% to 76% using nano embedding technology. Since the success of the product through USDA organic certification, the export unit price came to $320 / kg, and the gross profit margin remained over 60%. According to the Grand View Research data, the global black wolfberry extract market size will grow at a rate of 11.4% annually from $180 million in 2023 to $390 million in 2030, of which the repurchase rate of the North American market is up to 58%, customer feedback in the Amazon platform shows that 83% of customers are sure that it “significantly improves fatigue” and the product is rated as high as 4.7/5 stars on average.
In the product, Black Goji Berry Extract has been added to functional drinks, cosmetics and health supplements. For example, the “antioxidant energy drink” sold by a global firm contains 200 mg extract per bottle, and clinical tests have proved that long-term consumption of 30 angel exercise recovery time is 19% reduced and muscle lactic acid accumulation is 27% decreased. In the field of cosmetics, 1.5% black wolfberry extract serum can decrease the rate of skin moisture loss by 33%, enhance the transepidermal water loss (TEWL) value by 23%, and according to relevant patent data, its activity against UVA damage is 41% higher than vitamin E. It was initially recognized as accepted by the European Union EFSA in 2022 as a food antioxidant (E 163a) with a safe daily intake of 2.5 mg/kg body weight, safety assessment revealed acute toxicity LD50>5000 mg/kg (rats), and mutagenicity test negative rate of 100%.
Supply chain innovation is also part of its popularity: Chinese Academy of Sciences’ technology of molecular imprinting in 2023 can raise the purification level of some antioxidant ingredients (such as wolfberry A) in black wolfberry extract to 95%, reduce costs by 28%, and reduce production cycle time from 72 hours to 40 hours. Market research shows US dietary supplement companies with Black Goji Berry Extract products have a 45% premium, and customers are 60% more likely to pay than regular goji berry products. Environmental statistics reveal that during the past decade, wild wolfberry resources declined 42% due to over-harvesting, but output per mu rose from 80 kg to 210 kg owing to artificial cultivation technology, and unit area anthocyanin output increased 18%, thus providing technical backing for sustainable development.