China’s National Health Commission recently issued the “Announcement on 14 New Food Ingredients Including Fusarium Venetianum Protein,” formally approving elderberry anthocyanins as a new food ingredient in China.
According to public records, in September 2021, China’s National Health Commission formally accepted the application for “elderberry extract” as a new food ingredient. After seven extension notices, it finally entered public consultation in May 2025 and was renamed “elderberry anthocyanins.”
Historically, elderberries have primarily circulated in the Chinese market as imported dietary supplements or ordinary fruit powders. This ambiguous status has limited their widespread application in mainstream health foods and beverages. The newly established legal status will propel elderberries from niche markets into the mainstream, offering domestic brands a differentiated competitive solution.
Purple fruit derived from ancient European recipes
Elderberry anthocyanins are produced from the fruits of Sambucus nigra, a plant belonging to the family Adoxaceae and genus Sambucus. The manufacturing process involves enzymatic hydrolysis, pressing, membrane filtration, sterilization, and drying. Native to Europe and other regions, the fruits of Sambucus nigra—commonly known as elderberries—have a long history of consumption in Europe. Canada recognizes them as a natural health food ingredient. Since its introduction to China in the 1980s, standardized cultivation bases have been established in Linyi, Shandong; Jinhua, Zhejiang; and Nanjing, Jiangsu, forming a scaled industrial layout. The fruit quality meets European Pharmacopoeia standards, with anthocyanin content consistently maintained between 2.5% and 3.2%.
Compared to its recent legalization in China, elderberries have been recognized much earlier in European and American markets. It is understood that elderberries have held a significant place in traditional Western herbal medicine since ancient Egyptian times. As early as the 4th century BC, Western countries used elderberries to alleviate symptoms such as colds, fevers, and coughs.
Modern medical research indicates that elderberries contain anthocyanins, flavonoids, B vitamins, and other components. Consuming them helps boost immunity, promote skin health, and improve digestive and respiratory system health.
As modern scientific research deepens, the nutritional components and health benefits of elderberries have gradually gained recognition. They have been included in multiple herbal pharmacopoeias or natural health ingredient guidelines in countries like Europe and the United States.
In the United States, elderberry-based juices meeting the requirements of 21 CFR PART 73.250 qualify as exempt color additives and may be used directly in general foods. Furthermore, 7 CFR PART 205.606 explicitly permits elderberry juice color as a natural coloring agent in organic foods.
In the EU and ANZ, elderberry extract/anthocyanins are not directly approved as food ingredients. However, since elderberries are rich in anthocyanins, regulations define elderberries as one of the natural sources of anthocyanins. Therefore, the EU and ANZ primarily describe the approved uses of anthocyanins.
In the EU, anthocyanins meeting relevant quality specifications may be used in foods such as dairy products under GMP conditions. In ANZ, according to regulations, anthocyanins conforming to the specifications outlined in EU Regulation No. 231/2012 (Schedule 3) may be used in foods such as beverages under GMP conditions.
highly sought after in Western markets
As a deep purple berry with both a long history of medicinal use and modern scientific backing, elderberry has become a popular ingredient in the immune health category across European and American markets, demonstrating robust overall market growth.
In 2018, elderberries experienced explosive growth globally, particularly in Europe and the United States. Data indicates that sales in major U.S. multi-channel markets surged from $113 million in 2019 (an 83.4% year-over-year increase) to $265.8 million in 2020 (a 168.9% year-over-year increase).
Rich nutritional content and broad bioactivity have sustained elderberry’s long-term growth momentum in the plant extract market. According to a Technavio report, the elderberry market will expand at a CAGR of approximately 6.52% from 2021 to 2025, with Europe contributing 44% of this growth. The agency further projects that the global market size will reach $960 million by 2027, with a robust CAGR of 6.72% between 2022 and 2027.
In the European and American dietary supplement markets, elderberry has emerged as a standout ingredient, rivaling vitamin C as a top-tier herbal raw material. It is widely used in various products such as herbal beverages, immune-boosting gummies, vitamin C complex supplements, and energy drinks. Among these, elderberry-infused gummies dominate the European and American markets, accounting for over 60% of the market share.
Elderberry extends beyond immune support, emerging as a “next-generation prebiotic” that promotes gut health. Consequently, its market sales remain robust even in the post-pandemic era. In 2024, its sales in major U.S. retail channels reached $145 million, second only to turmeric, while also achieving $22.82 million in natural sales channels. This demonstrates the solidification of daily immune supplementation as a consumer habit.
Across all age groups, elderberries are suitable not only for children and adults but also for middle-aged and elderly populations. In Europe and the United States, elderberry applications are expanding into diverse lifestyle scenarios through cross-industry integration, showing a trend of permeating beyond supplement shelves into the broader food category.
The Chinese market holds great promise.
While overseas markets show steady growth, elderberry has also demonstrated remarkable development potential in China’s nutritional supplement market. On platforms like JD.com, dozens of elderberry products are available, with brands such as New Zealand’s VitaRui, America’s Inloi, and Australia’s Auteli all achieving strong sales performance.
In terms of target demographics, most elderberry products currently active in the Chinese market are geared toward infants and children. Consequently, dosage forms predominantly feature gummies and liquid supplements, prioritizing fun and palatability to enhance ease of consumption for young consumers.
Following approval as a new food ingredient, elderberries have transitioned from their previous status as imported dietary supplements to officially enter broader consumer markets encompassing general foods, beverages, dairy products, and more. This development presents unprecedented opportunities for upgrading China’s immune health products.
For years, vitamins, minerals, and lactoferrin have dominated China’s immune health market. As consumers increasingly prioritize “safety, naturalness, and non-irritating properties,” elderberry—with its natural fruit flavor, pleasant taste, and diverse innovative formulations (such as gummies, syrups, and instant powders)—may emerge as a market dark horse.
Notably, elderberry anthocyanins serve not only as an active ingredient but also as a natural colorant. They can replace certain synthetic dyes under the global clean label trend, enhancing product transparency and making them highly suitable for functional foods, beverages, dairy products, and snacks.
From a product formulation perspective, gummies are poised to become a hot application for elderberry. Their appealing color and natural compatibility with berry flavors make gummies an ideal delivery vehicle. While the instability of elderberry anthocyanins poses a challenge, technological innovations hold promise for integrating novel formulations like elderberry + vitamin C, elderberry + zinc, and elderberry + probiotics into gummies.
As a relatively new entrant to China’s nutritional supplement market in recent years, elderberry’s overall sales volume still lags significantly behind dominant categories like DHA and probiotics, with public awareness remaining at a relatively early stage. Furthermore, due to the prolonged unapproved status of related raw materials in China, domestic nutritional companies have been cautious in investing in this niche segment. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that with rising global health awareness and policy liberalization in the Chinese market, elderberry will transition from a niche herbal supplement to a core ingredient in mainstream functional foods and beverages, injecting robust momentum into functional food innovation.
Source: China Food News
Image source: Internet
