Multicomponent polyphenolic extracts from vaccinium corymbosum at lab and pilot scale. Characterization and effectivity against nosocomial pathogens

Blueberries are more than a tasty superfruit—they may be a new weapon against hospital superbugs. A green extraction method reveals their hidden antimicrobial power.

Forget the smoothie—blueberries are entering the fight against multidrug-resistant pathogens. Researchers designed a green extraction process, scaled from lab to pilot, to pull out a cocktail of polyphenols from three blueberry varieties. The goal? Directly testing their power against seven notorious hospital bacteria.

Using LC–MS/MS, they identified up to 22 polyphenols, with anthocyanins leading the charge, followed by flavanols and non-flavonoids. While the three varieties shared similar profiles, their quantities differed significantly. But the real surprise came at pilot scale: the process tripled the content of bioactive phytochemicals, a proof-of-concept that bigger can be better.

When tested, all extracts showed antibacterial and antiadhesive activities. The most concentrated one stood out, delivering a high bactericidal effect. These findings suggest blueberry extracts could become a natural, sustainable tool to curb infections that resist conventional treatments.

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