Product Information

Plants and Parts Used

AuroraBlue is comprised of Vaccinium ovalifolium Sm., Vaccinium alaskensis How. and V. ovalifolium X V. alaskensis variants caused by introgression, the natural spread of genes of one species into another through the process of interspecific hybridization followed by successive backcrosses to the recurrent parent. It also includes Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. alpinum (Bigel.) Hultén and, Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum Lange. Minor components (<1%) may include very closely related, coexsistent varieties, Vaccinium uliginosum var. salicinum (Cham.) Hultén, Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. occidentale (A. Gray) Hultén, Vaccinium caespitosum Michx., Vaccinium paludicola Camp, and Vaccinium scoparium Leiberg. The relative amounts of components used is >95% ripe fruit and <5% leaves and stems from seasonally mature plants.

Processing and Physical Description

The berries, leaves, and stems are frozen, blended and concentrated by a gentle drying process known as Refractance WindowTM (MCD Technologies, Inc., Tacoma, Washington) to <4% moisture. No solvents are used in processing the Vaccinium complex.

Biochemical Composition

AuroraBlue contains most importantly, flavonoids, a class of 3-ring polyphenolic secondary plant metabolites synthesized via the general phenylpropanoid pathway, among other compounds. Flavonoids provide defense against oxygen radicals as well as freeze-thaw, nutrient deprivation, dehydration, herbivory, wounding, and microbial pathogen attack. The extreme conditions in the Alaska wilderness support excessive production of flavonoids among native plant species. The principal flavonoids found in the berries used in AuroraBlue are flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanidins, including anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins.

Anthocyanins (5.0% w/w), including among others in decreasing order of typical prevalence in AuroraBlue: cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-galactoside, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-galactoside, malvidin-3-O-arabinoside, petunidin-3-O-arabinoside, peonidin-3-O-galactoside, malvidin moiety-2, petunidin-3-O-coumarate, malvidin moiety-1, delphinidin moiety, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, and delphinidin-3-O-arabinoside. Also detected was an unknown anthocyanin moiety.

Proanthocyanidins (7.0%), including among others in decreasing order of typical prevalence in AuroraBlue: polymers (> decamer), hexamers, nonamers, pentamers, tetramers, trimers, dimers, octamers, heptamers, decamers, and monomers. Both A- and B-type proanthocyanidins are represented with substantial quantities of dimeric and trimeric A-type interflavan linkages, with B-type linkages including epicatechin, catechin, and various dimers to heptamers.

Polyphenolics (4.0% w/w), including among others in decreasing order of typical prevalence in AuroraBlue: protocatechuic acid, catechin and/or catechin tannins, ellagic acid (as ellagitannin), quercetin-3-O-glucoside, myricetin, gentisic acid, trimeric proanthocyanidins A, tamarixetin, quercetin-3-O-arabinoside, syringetin-3-O-glucoside, chlorogenic acid, myricetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin, hyperoside, myricetin-5'-methyl ether, alpha-amyrin, friedelin, ursolic acid, beta-sitosterol, beta-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside. Also identified were five novel polyphenolic compounds, and non-quantitatively, resveratrol, piceatannol, and pterostilbene.

Commercial Formulations

AuroraBlue is sold as AuroraBlue Flavon-Plus Formula line of products.

Each includes AuroraBlue Vaccinium complex, natural astaxanthin, a red-orange carotenoid found in salmon flesh and other marine organisms, but sourced for this product from the marine algae Haematococcus pluvialis and highly concentrated and pure essential omega-3 fatty acids from body oils of Oncorhynchus (salmon) or Gadus (cod). The exception is a vegan formulation that substitutes omega-3 fatty acids with flaxseed oil. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is added to provide complementary antioxidant activity and to protect berry flavonoids from oxidative destruction during processing.

More specifically, AuroraBlue Flavon-Plus Formula incorporates AstaREAL(R) (10%) natural astaxanthin complex that also includes lutein, beta-carotene, canthaxanthin, and other carotenoids; OmegaPure(R), with >24% total omega-3 fatty acids, >12% each eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (1:1 w/w), with the balance consisting of lesser known omega-3 fatty acids, stabilized with mixed tocopherols and the natural antioxidant, Ronoxan A, and; Vitamin C.

AuroraBlue Flavon-Plus Formula products also include sunflower lecithin and candelia wax to improve the viscosity of pure astaxanthin and omega-3 oils and maintain the suspension of hydrophilic berry flavonoids in the hydrophobic lipid base. Sunflower lecithin, candelia wax, and the exceptionally pure omega-3 fatty acids used in these products are considered non-allergenic.

All of the AuroraBlue Flavon-Plus Formula products are encapsulated in pullulan, an environmentally friendly-plant polymer, to avoid the use of harshly treated animal gelatin. Pullulan obviates any possible exposure to the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalitis from beef gelatin, and supports special requirements for vegans and Kosher and Halal certifications.

AuroraBlue Flavon-Plus Formula is DENALI's original product.