Goji Berry | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Goji berries are the dried or fresh fruit of Lycium barbarum and Lycium chinense (family Solanaceae), native to northwest China and long used in traditional Chinese medicine and cuisine. They are consumed as a functional food and food supplement due to their rich content of polysaccharides, carotenoids (especially zeaxanthin), polyphenols, vitamins, and betaine.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Based on over 2,500 years of traditional use, goji berry is generally recognized as a non-toxic food at conventional dietary doses, and interventional studies support its safety within traditionally established intake levels. Key concerns include possible allergic reactions in sensitive individuals (particularly Mediterranean populations), potential interactions with anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin, and pesticide/heavy-metal residues in imported berries from certain production regions. No formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) has been established by EFSA or FDA, as goji berry is treated as a whole food/botanical rather than a food additive.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Restricted	No specific MRLs for goji berries exist in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (Standard 1.4.2). Six agricultural chemical residues (chlorpyrifos, cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, difenoconazole, triadimefon, propargite) have been detected in imported goji berries; FSANZ has classified these as a medium-to-high public health risk and subjects imported goji berries to heightened inspection. Estimated chronic dietary exposures are less than 1% of the ADI for each chemical.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Goji berry is not regulated under the EU Novel Foods Regulation (EC 2015/2283) and requires no pre-market authorisation; it has no specific restrictions or maximum use levels. Italy's Ministry of Health has added it to the list of foods with physiological antioxidant properties.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Goji berry is not listed in FSSAI's banned or restricted ingredients. Under FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals) Regulations, fruits and their extracts may be used in nutraceuticals/supplements; specific health benefit claims require prior FSSAI approval. No dedicated goji berry standard exists in FSSAI regulations as of 2025.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Other — Goji berries contain betaine and may potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin (Coumadin), increasing bleeding risk; individuals on anticoagulant therapy should consult a physician before regular consumption.

Other — Growing evidence indicates goji berries may trigger IgE-mediated allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, particularly in Mediterranean populations where cross-reactivity with other Solanaceae allergens has been documented.

Sulfite Sensitivity — Some commercially processed goji berry products have been found to contain undeclared sulfite preservatives (up to 13.6 mg per serving), which can cause severe or life-threatening reactions in sulfite-sensitive individuals and asthmatics.

Pregnancy — Betaine and zeaxanthin in goji berries are generally regarded as safe, but high-dose supplemental forms lack adequate human safety data during pregnancy; conventional dietary amounts are considered acceptable while concentrated juices or extracts should be used with caution.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1other. Imported food risk statement: Goji berries and agricultural chemical residues. foodstandards.gov.au
2PubMed. Health Benefits and Applications of Goji Berries in Functional Food Products Development: A Review, 2022. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Levels and health risk assessment of pesticides and metals in Lycium barbarum L. from different sources in Ningxia, China, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) juice reduces lifespan and premature aging of Caenorhabditis elegans: Is it safe to consume it?, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Goji Berries as a Potential Natural Antioxidant Medicine: An Insight into Their Molecular Mechanisms of Action, 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6PubMed. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study of the general effects of a standardized Lycium barbarum (Goji) Juice, GoChi, 2008.

Independently researched6 citations