Acerola Juice Powder

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Acerola juice powder is a spray- or freeze-dried concentrate of juice from the acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata), a tropical fruit exceptionally rich in natural vitamin C (ascorbic acid), polyphenols, anthocyanins, and carotenoids. It is used in foods, beverages, and dietary supplements as a natural source of vitamin C and as an antioxidant.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Acerola juice powder is well tolerated at typical dietary intake levels and is broadly regarded as safe; its vitamin C content is reported to be better absorbed than synthetic ascorbic acid. At very high supplemental doses, excess vitamin C can cause gastrointestinal disturbances (diarrhea, nausea) and, in susceptible individuals, increase the risk of oxalate kidney stones. No ADI has been formally established for the whole food ingredient; regulatory concern is principally focused on limiting total daily vitamin C intake from all sources rather than on acerola itself.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Acerola is a recognized food of plant origin evaluated by EFSA in the context of antioxidant and oxidative-damage health claims (Regulation EC No 1924/2006). It is not assigned an E-number as it is a fruit-derived ingredient rather than a food additive. EFSA has issued favourable opinions on vitamin C health claims (protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage) applicable to acerola-derived vitamin C.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Acerola (West Indian Cherry) is explicitly listed as a standardised fruit under FSSAI food category 14.1.2.1 (fruit juices). Under the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations 2016, fruit-derived ingredients including extracts may be used as nutraceuticals or health supplements; specific health benefit claims require prior FSSAI approval.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Acerola juice powder is a whole food/fruit-derived ingredient and not listed as a regulated food additive. It is used and marketed as a natural source of vitamin C in foods and dietary supplements without a specific GRAS petition; ascorbic acid (the primary active constituent) is separately GRAS under 21 CFR 182.3013. No specific maximum use level is codified for the whole ingredient.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Kidney Disease — High vitamin C intake from concentrated acerola powder can increase urinary oxalate excretion, elevating the risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones in individuals with pre-existing kidney disease or a history of oxalate stones.

G6pd Deficiency — High-dose vitamin C supplementation (as delivered by concentrated acerola juice powder) has been associated with haemolytic anaemia in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Infants — FSSAI nutraceutical regulations explicitly exclude infants under 24 months, and infant nutrition standards require separate prior approval; the concentrated vitamin C load in acerola juice powder is not appropriate for infant use without medical guidance.

Ibs — High doses of vitamin C from concentrated acerola powder may cause osmotic diarrhea and gastrointestinal discomfort, which can exacerbate symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Other — Individuals on anticoagulant therapy (e.g., warfarin) should use caution, as large doses of vitamin C can interfere with anticoagulant drug efficacy; consultation with a healthcare provider is advised.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Acerola (Malpighia emarginata) Anti-Inflammatory Activity—A Review, 2024. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. Development, Validation, and Use of 1H-NMR Spectroscopy for Evaluating the Quality of Acerola-Based Food Supplements and Quantifying Ascorbic Acid, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Acerola, an untapped functional superfruit: a review on latest frontiers, 2018. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4EFSA. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for vitamin C (Draft), 2013. efsa.europa.eu
5EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to vitamin C and protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage (ID 129, 138, 143, 148, ...), 2009. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations