The agronomist Ernesto Javier Gómez Torres has managed, with support from Onubafruit, Europe's leading berry exporter, to obtain strawberries and raspberries with a high content of Omega-3 fatty acids.
The combination of tradition, with plants cultivated in a natural environment, and innovative research on a product that has been present for over 50 years, give as a result plants that produce high levels of Omega-3.
To reach this, strawberries and raspberries have gone through over 300 quality checks, showing an average of 17 grams of Omega-3 for every 100 grams of product, which are turning this red fruit into the main source for Omega-3, surpassing blue fish, which can provide up to 5 grams per 100 grams of product.
For his part, Onubafruit's manager, Francisco Sánchez, said that, "this discovery opens new horizons" in both the way to grow strawberries and raspberries in Huelva and how to commercialise them, "giving us a great advantage over other markets."
The firm's quality and marketing departments are studying new marketing strategies and the introduction into new markets eager for high quality, healthy products.
Omega-3 are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids which are very beneficial, mainly to prevent heart diseases.
Onubafruit has an annual production of over 70,000 tonnes of fruit spread between strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, citrus, kakis and stone fruit, and is responsible for 60% of Spain's total raspberry production.
Source: Europapress
