Black Chokeberry Extracts (<em>Aronia melanocarpa</em>) as an Ingredient of Functional Food – Potential, Challenges and Directions of Development

Abstract

Functional foods are gaining global importance as consumer demand for products de-livering health benefits beyond basic nutrition increases. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a promising candidate in this field, due to its exceptionally high content of bioactive compounds, particularly polyphenols with well-documented health-promoting properties. This article reviews the current state of knowledge on the definition of functional foods and the health benefits of chokeberries, with special em-phasis given to their extracts as promising ingredients for novel product development. Efficient recovery methods for bioactive compounds from fruits, pomace, and leaves are discussed, including advances in green extraction technologies such as ultrasound- and microwave-assisted extraction, super