Preliminary recommendations for European bilberry (Vaccinium Myrtillus L.) Harvesting as a tannin raw material in the context the needs and challenges of sustainable forest management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15584/pjsd.2025.29.2.2Keywords:
non-wood forest products, bilberry, herbal medicinal products, European Pharmacopoeia, tannins, sustainable development, forest utilisationAbstract
The forest environment is a well-known and valuable source of non-wood forest products, including mushrooms, fruits, and medicinal plants. These raw materials are widely harvested, and can be considered as a crucial element of regional development. When collecting medicinal plants, it is extremely important to meet strictly defined pharmacopoeial quality requirements, and, at same time, collecting must be carried out in accordance with the principles of sustainable forest management. This is possible within the framework of formalised cooperation between forest managers and pharmaceutical companies. In Poland, one of the most important forest floor resources is the bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.). The fruit of this plant, in addition to culinary value, is also a herbal raw material. This study aimed to determine the tannin content in bilberry fruit obtained from four different forest site types where this species occurs commonly or frequently: fresh coniferous forest (Bśw), fresh mixed coniferous forest (BMśw), boggy mixed coniferous forest (BMb), and fresh mixed broadleaved forest (LMśw). The research material was collected from the Szczebra Forest District (northeastern Poland). Tannin content was assessed according to the analytical methodology recommended by the current “European Pharmacopoeia 11”. The results were referred to the pharmacopoeial monograph "Bilberry fruit, dried". Furthermore, considering the use of dried bilberry fruit not only in the pharmaceutical but also in the food industry, the anthocyanin content has been assessed. For the analysed variables, statistically significant differences in average values were found depending on the forest site type. The highest tannin content was found in the fruits from boggy mixed coniferous forest (1.0%), lower tannin content was detected in the fruits from fresh coniferous forest and fresh mixed coniferous forest (0.8%), and the lowest turned out to be characteristic in the fruits from fresh mixed broadleaved forest (0.7%). Meanwhile anthocyanin content was as follows: fresh mixed broadleaved forest 1.48%, fresh coniferous forest dominated 1.47% boggy mixed coniferous forest 1.20%, and fresh mixed coniferous forest 0.83%. Taking into account the results of our preliminary research and, at the same time, the percentage share of the considered forest site types in Poland we would like to recommend a fresh mixed coniferous forest as the most suitable habitat for bilberry fruit harvesting for the needs of pharmaceutical industry. In turn, the collection of raw material richest in anthocyanins can be carried out in fresh coniferous forest and fresh mixed broadleaved forest, and these forest site types should be specified as optimal when food companies plan to obtain bilberry fruit for food production.
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