Dried Blueberry | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Dried blueberry is the dehydrated or freeze-dried form of the blueberry fruit (Vaccinium corymbosum or Vaccinium angustifolium), consumed as a snack, ingredient, or supplement. It is used in food products for its nutritional value, natural sweetness, and high concentration of anthocyanins and other polyphenols.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Dried blueberries are broadly recognised as safe for the general adult population with no established ADI, no E-number designation, and no bans in any major jurisdiction. They are rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols associated with cardiovascular, metabolic, and neuroprotective benefits. Rare safety concerns include potential heavy-metal contamination in some commercial lots (notably lead in specific freeze-dried batches), and the concentrated sugar content of sweetened dried varieties warrants moderation for individuals managing blood glucose.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Dried blueberry is a conventional food product in the EU, not classified as a novel food or food additive. It is not listed in the EU novel foods Union list and carries no E-number. General food safety rules under Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 apply.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Dried blueberries are regulated as a dried/dehydrated fruit under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations. No specific ADI or restriction established.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Blueberries and dried blueberries are regulated as conventional whole foods under FDA's produce safety framework (21 CFR Part 112). No ADI or additive status. A voluntary recall of specific freeze-dried blueberry lots occurred due to lead above FDA recommended limits (now terminated).source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Diabetes — Commercially sweetened dried blueberries can have high added sugar content; individuals managing blood glucose should prefer unsweetened varieties and monitor portion size, as evidence on blueberries' direct effect on glycaemia in dysglycaemic adults yields mixed results.

Infants — Children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning, and isolated commercial lots of freeze-dried blueberries have been recalled for lead content above FDA recommended limits, warranting careful product selection for young children.

Kidney Disease — Dried blueberries are a concentrated source of potassium and other minerals; individuals with compromised kidney function who require dietary potassium restriction should consult a healthcare provider before consuming large quantities.

Ibs — Dried blueberries are a concentrated source of fibre and natural sugars (including sorbitol in some processing forms) that may exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. URGENT: Nationwide Voluntary Recall of Natierra Organic Freeze-Dried Blueberry Due to Levels of Lead. fda.gov
2PubMed. Blueberries Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Obese Men and Women with Metabolic Syndrome. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Exploring the Composition of Blueberry-Based Functional Products: Polyphenolic and Elemental Characterization and Quantification, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. The state of the science on the health benefits of blueberries: a perspective, 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Recent Research on the Health Benefits of Blueberries and Their Anthocyanins, 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations