Maqui berry
Maqui berry suppliers and sourcing guide
Maqui is the small, dark purple berry of Aristotelia chilensis, a tree in the Elaeocarpaceae family native to the forests of central and southern Chile, where most fruit is still wild harvested. Berries are frozen, then freeze dried and milled to a powder, or extracted to make powders standardized to anthocyanins (delphinidins). Some branded extracts are standardized to delphinidin glycosides by HPLC.
- Category
- Botanicals and mushrooms
- Also known as
- Aristotelia chilensis · maqui · Chilean wineberry · Chilean blackberry
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of maqui berry
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Freeze-dried powder
Whole berry freeze dried and milled, with no carrier.
Juice powder
Pressed juice spray dried, often on a carrier such as maltodextrin.
Standardized extract
Extract sold with a declared anthocyanin or delphinidin content by UV or HPLC.
Organic
Powder from certified organic wild collection, with the certificate tied to the lot.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Identity
- HPLC anthocyanin profile, dominated by delphinidin glycosides, to confirm maqui and detect other berry powders.
- Anthocyanin assay
- Total anthocyanins by pH-differential UV or HPLC, with the method named.
- Heavy metals
- Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and any Prop 65 exposure targets.
- Microbiology
- Total plate count, yeast and mold, coliforms or E. coli, and Salmonella. Raw powders carry more microbial load than extracts and are often steam treated.
- Pesticide residues
- Multi-residue screen by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, required for organic material and commonly requested for conventional lots.
- Physical tests
- Moisture or water activity, mesh size and any carrier.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Keep powders sealed in foil bags or lined drums in a cool, dry place away from light; anthocyanins fade with heat, light and oxygen, and freeze-dried powder is hygroscopic. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
Lots and expiry dates
Anthocyanin content varies with harvest year and region, so record the anthocyanin result and method for each lot. Keep wild-collection documentation and rotate stock FEFO.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Aristotelia chilensis (POL-NF-00147) concerns only the berries and lists them as not novel in food supplements.
Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Aristotelia chilensis, with the common name maqui, as an approved herbal name.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Maqui berry suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking maqui berry suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell maqui berry? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of maqui berry can brands buy?
Common forms include freeze-dried powder, juice powder, standardized extract and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for maqui berry include?
Expect identity, anthocyanin assay, heavy metals, microbiology, pesticide residues and physical tests, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should maqui berry be stored?
Keep powders sealed in foil bags or lined drums in a cool, dry place away from light; anthocyanins fade with heat, light and oxygen, and freeze-dried powder is hygroscopic. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.
What is the regulatory status of maqui berry?
The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Aristotelia chilensis (POL-NF-00147) concerns only the berries and lists them as not novel in food supplements. Health Canada's Natural Health Products Ingredients Database lists Aristotelia chilensis, with the common name maqui, as an approved herbal name.
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