Goji
[2] Goji berries are primarily cultivated in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Xinjiang in China, where the unique climate and soil conditions contribute to their vibrant color and nutrient-rich profile.
[11] The Latin name lycium is derived from the Greek word λυκιον (lykion), used by Pliny the Elder (23–79) and Pedanius Dioscorides (ca.
[8][17][18] The word goji is an approximation of the pronunciation of gǒuqǐ (pinyin for 枸杞), the name for the berry-producing plant L. chinense in several Chinese dialects.
[citation needed] Exaggerated claims about the health benefits of goji berry and derived products have triggered strong reactions from government regulatory agencies.
Additionally stated by the FDA, the goji products are "not generally recognized as safe and effective for the referenced conditions" and therefore must be treated as a "new drug" under Section 21(p) of the Act.
[24][25] In January 2007, marketing statements for a goji juice product were the subject of an investigative report by consumer advocacy program Marketplace produced by Canadian public broadcaster CBC.
[9] Among the extreme claims used to market goji berries or its juice, often referred to as a "superfruit", is the unsupported story that a Chinese man named Li Qing Yuen, who was said to have consumed wolfberries daily, lived to the age of 256 years (1677–1933).
[10][28] A settlement agreement was reached on 28 April 2010, where FreeLife took steps to ensure that its goji products were not marketed as "unheated" or "raw", and made a contribution to an educational organization.
[8][16] In vitro testing suggests that unidentified wolfberry phytochemicals in goji tea may inhibit metabolism of medications, such as those processed by the cytochrome P450 liver enzymes.
The fruits are preserved by drying them in full sun on open trays or by mechanical dehydration, employing a progressively increasing series of heat exposure over 48 hours.
[36][better source needed] The region has developed an industrial association of growers, processors, marketers, and scholars of wolfberry cultivation to promote the berry's commercial and export potential.
[18] In the first decade of the 21st century, farmers in Canada and the United States began cultivating goji on a commercial scale to meet potential markets for fresh berries, juice, and processed products.
[41][42] Australia imports most of its goji berries from China, due to how expensive the Australian labour force is in comparison with the countries that have the largest share of the current market.
