Strawberry achenes and their antioxidant contribution to fruit
What it found
In lab tests, strawberry achenes made up a large share of the fruit's antioxidant capacity, even though they are only a small part of its weight.
The study used simulated digestion to see how antioxidants are released.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Antioxidants in achenes
Achenes had more than 10 times the total phenolic compounds and four times the flavonoids of flesh. Their antioxidant capacity was 17 to 64 times higher, depending on the test.
Contribution to whole fruit
Despite being a small part of the fruit, achenes contributed 41% of the total phenolic compounds and 81% of one measure of antioxidant capacity (TEAC).
Release during digestion
In simulated gastric digestion, more antioxidants were released from both achenes and flesh than from raw samples. After intestinal digestion, antioxidant levels dropped sharply, and anthocyanins were not detected.
Different antioxidants
Achenes were richer in ellagic acid and some anthocyanins, while flesh had more caffeic and chlorogenic acids. The types of antioxidants differed between the two parts.
Other findings
Achene share of fruit
Achenes made up 0.75% of the strawberry's fresh weight, which is about 7.5% of its dry weight.
What the authors conclude
“These results give new insights into the use of strawberry achenes as a source of bioactive compounds to be considered in strawberry breeding programs for improving human health.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that strawberry achenes are an important source of antioxidants and should be considered in breeding programs to improve human health.
- They suggest that achenes could become a valuable product, even from varieties discarded for misshapen fruit.
- They note that in vitro digestion is a good way to test how antioxidants are released from food.
How it was done
The authors wanted to know how much the achenes, the tiny seed-like parts on a strawberry's surface, add to the fruit's total antioxidants and how well those antioxidants are released during digestion.
They compared the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of achenes and flesh from Camarosa strawberries, both raw and after simulated gastric and intestinal digestion.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a lab study using simulated digestion, not real people. It cannot show how much of these antioxidants are actually absorbed or what health effects they might have.
- The study used only one strawberry variety, Camarosa, so results may differ for other varieties.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Università, Universit&#; Polytechnic University of Marche, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Strawberry Achenes Are an Important Source of Bioactive Compounds for Human Health
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Ariza MT, Reboredo-Rodríguez P, Mazzoni L, et al (2016). Strawberry Achenes Are an Important Source of Bioactive Compounds for Human Health. International journal of molecular sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms17071103Free full textPubMed 27409612DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error