Prospection on the black mulberry (Morus nigra L.): A technological and scientific analysis

Abstract

Morus nigra L., commonly known as black mulberry, is a significant plant species in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. It is also considered an Unconventional Food Plant with potential applications in nutrition. The diversity of bioactive compounds present accounts for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antitumor properties. Thus, this study aimed to analyze technological and scientific information on M. nigra by examining patent documents and scientific papers. The European Patent Office®, the National Institute of Industrial Property®, and Scopus® were utilized as research sources, employing the search terms “Morus nigra” for the former two and “Morus nigra” and “food” for the latter. A total of 210 documents were validated for the research. China leads in patent applications (44%), while Turkey leads in scientific publications (30%). Patents are concentrated in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and beverages, while scientific publications in the areas of Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology. The global blackberry trade is on the rise, attracting significant interest from multinational companies. Therefore, academic research and technological innovation must keep pace with market demand, given the promising use of black mulberry.

Key words bioactive compounds; black mulberry; patents; technology; Unconventional Food Plants

INTRODUCTION

Morus nigra L., also known as black mulberry, belongs to the genus Morus and the Moraceae family. It is a native plant of Asia and was one of the first domesticated forages worldwide (Dalmagro et al. 2018). The main cultivation areas are in the Middle East, East, and Southwest Asia (Ustun-Argon & Gumus 2021). M. nigra is considered an Unconventional Food Plant (UFP) as it has one or more edible parts that are not commonly used due to a lack of knowledge about their benefits, thus lacking commercial purposes (Kinupp 2007).

Mulberries exhibit a wide morphological variety and have high nutritional value in fruits and leaves (Sánchez-Salcedo et al. 2017, Mehta & Kumar 2021). The substantial genetic variability of the Morus genus suggests potential applications as functional food; however, understanding the chemical and pomological characteristics is necessary to determine the most viable use (Ljubojević et al. 2023), as the biological activities of mulberries, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor properties, depend on specific studies of each variety (Ren et al. 2022).

White mulberry (Morus alba L.) and red mulberry (Morus rubra L.) are other species of the genus Morus. The mineral composition, including Calcium, Sodium, Manganese, Potassium, and Iron, is significant for the three species. In the fruit and leaves, the levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity are higher in M. nigra L. compared to M. alba L. and M. rubra L. (Gundogdua et al. 2011, Sánchez-Salcedo et al. 2015, Polumackanycz et al. 2021). All these species possess pharmacological, chemical, and nutritional potential due to their rich composition of active compounds, which confer antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, and anti-aging properties (Sánchez-Salcedo et al. 2017, Hao et al. 2022).

The mechanism of M. nigra effects is correlated with the content of active components (Radojković et al. 2014), including chlorogenic, gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic, p-coumaric, ferulic, m-coumaric, ellagic, and mono-caffeoylquinic acids, in addition to kaempferol, quercetin hydrate, and rutin (Memon et al. 2010, Radojković et al. 2012, Júnior et al. 2017, Dalmagro et al. 2018, Cavuldak et al. 2019, Meinharta et al. 2019, Gómez-Mejía et al. 2021).

The mentioned properties indicate that the use of M. nigra is promising as a nutraceutical resource for controlling and preventing several acute and chronic diseases (Ionica et al. 2017, Lim & Choi 2019). Furthermore, variability in the composition of various plant parts must also be considered, as different quantifications of bioactive compounds are found in fruits, leaves, bark, and roots (Islamova et al. 2022). In a study on mulberry leaves, Sánchez-Salcedo et al. (2017) reported a significant composition of macronutrients, with protein levels above 18% and fiber content above 3%. These values indicate that the use of mulberry is interesting as an additive or extract for functional foods.

Regarding toxicity, M. nigra has been evaluated to prevent adverse effects upon consumption. Studies by Figueredo et al. (2018) and Oliveira et al. (2013) assessed the toxicological effect in rats and found no alterations in the analyzed biochemical and hematological parameters, as well as in the organs evaluated via histopathological analysis, reinforcing its potential use in pharmacology.

Given the development of research guiding the creation of new technologies, it is crucial to address innovation systems in the academic environment. Thus, this scientific and technological prospection aims to map the use of the millennia-old black mulberry plant based on the properties already discovered, understanding the most commonly used plant parts, their main applications, and identifying new potentialities for various areas. Additionally, parameters such as International Patent Classification (IPC) codes, plant parts used and their respective applications, and the main patent-filing countries, countries conducting research, inventors, researchers, and market trends were evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data acquisition for technological and scientific prospection

Two patent databases were used for the patent study: the European Patent Office (Espacenet®), which provides free access to over 150 million patents covering inventions and technical developments from countries worldwide, and the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI®), a Brazilian Federal Agency responsible for the granting and safeguarding of intellectual property rights. For the scientific papers search, the Scopus® database was used, which has more than 91 million documents available.

In the Espacenet® platform, patents were filtered using the term “Morus nigra” in the advanced search field of “title, abstract, or claims,” resulting in 96 documents found. In the INPI platform, the same search term was used, but in the “all words and abstract” field, yielding 11 patent documents. In the Scopus® platform, the search was conducted using the term (“Morus nigra” and “food”) in the “Title-Abstract-Keywords” search field. The Boolean operator AND was used to ensure both search terms were present simultaneously in the evaluated documents, and 116 documents were found. All database searches were conducted in May 2023.

Documents found on the mentioned platforms were exported to Excel® spreadsheets - Microsoft 365 for data processing. Upon individual assessment of search documents using the Espacenet® platform, six were found unrelated to the theme, as M. nigra would only be used as an application object. Furthermore, six duplicates were identified. Thus, the study comprised the analysis of 84 patents from this platform. Regarding INPI patent documents, of the 11 found, one was excluded as the grant of intellectual property rights was denied by the agency, and no documents were available for characterizing this claim. The term “patent document” includes both filed and granted patents. Thus, the study consisted of the analysis of 94 patents from the platforms. In the assessment of articles, all documents were scientific publications related to M. nigra; hence no exclusions were made.

After data processing, a total of 210 documents, including filed patents and scientific papers, were analyzed in this prospective study. Data treatment involved observations including year of patent application or publication, the most cited patents, inventor, applicant, and author; application area, and plant part used. The obtained results were illustrated in graphs and figures using Excel® - Microsoft 365, PowerPoint® - Microsoft 365, and CANVA® - canva.com.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

International Patent Classification (IPC)

In the conducted research, the majority of patent documents were classified in section A (Human Necessities), but documents were also classified in sections B (Performing Operations; Transporting), C (Chemistry; Metallurgy), D (Textiles; Paper), and G (Physics). Within Section A, documents were related to classes A01 (Agriculture; Forestry; Animal Husbandry; Hunting; Trapping; Fishing), A23 (Food or Foodstuffs; their treatment, not covered by other classes), and A61 (Medical or Veterinary Science; Hygiene). The subclass with the highest number of records was A61K (Preparations for medical, dental, or toilet purposes), with 148 patents (Figure 1).

Figure 1
Distribution of IPC codes of patent documents on Morus nigra L., found in the Espacenet® and INPI® databases over the past 54 years.

Some of the technologies protected for this purpose in section A are EP1338303A1 (Kilb & Mariani 2002) concerning a detoxifying phytotherapeutic composition, CN107137458A (Paerhati 2017) about a medicine composition for treating mouth diseases, including pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and stomatitis, WO2008074935A2 (Mioskowski et al. 2006a) addressing a composition indicated for treating metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes or as a dietary supplement and CN114621129A (Chen et al. 2020) an antitumor compound.

In the pharmaceutical field, some claims refer to cosmetic compositions for hair or skin treatment, as evidenced in patent documents with numbers US2004009130A1 (Detore et al. 2002) and CN111973481A (Gong & Du 2019b), which have anti-aging, skin lightening, and moisturizing properties.

In the food field, we highlight EP0354960A1 (Karimdzhanov et al. 1988a) and RO104068A2 (Karimdzhanov et al. 1988b) related to food dye production from the fruit, PH22019050414U1 (Domingo & Sayat 2019) regarding yogurt production, and RO135033A2 (Baston & Pricop 2019) concerning jelly production.

Thus, the findings indicate that patent document investigation related to M. nigra is mainly concentrated in the pharmacy, medicine, and food sectors with various purposes due to its nutraceutical properties.

Parts of Morus nigra L. used in inventions and the main technological and scientific application areas

Various parts of M. nigra have been explored over the years due to its composition. Most filed patents have complete text available; however, in 34.5% of them, the plant part used was not specified. In 26.2%, the fruit was used; in 19%, the leaf; in 7.1%, the root; in 1.2%, the seed; and in 11.9%, more than one plant part.

A study on M. alba and M. nigra, performed by Islamova et al. (2022), identified high levels of antioxidant compounds in the fruit, leaves, bark (stem), and root. In mulberry fruit pomace, high levels of vitamin C (29 mg%) and vitamin B9, known as folic acid (6 mg%), were reported. In turn, Polumackanycz et al. (2021) used M. nigra and M. alba different extracts, such as infusions, decoctions, and tinctures, confirming the rich phenolic composition of M. nigra leaves. These studies justify the possibility of using various plant parts for numerous applications.

Regarding the main identified application areas, cosmetic products lead the scenario with 36.9% of applications, followed by pharmaceuticals (32.1%), food and beverages (8.3%), dietary supplements (4.8%), botanicals (2.4%), and materials (1.2%). Those with more than one application represent 6%, and those where the application area was not informed account for 8.3% (Figure 2).

Figure 2
Application areas of filed patents.

Cosmetics lead the technological applications using M. nigra. Products for hair darkening (Liu 2016, CN105902462A) and skin aging treatment (Paufique 2011, WO2012175868A2) were claimed. In pharmacology, patent documents using M. nigra were directed towards the production of herbal medicines, in addition to the more usual applications already mentioned, such as treatment for diabetes, oral diseases, or tumor treatments. Technologies were also claimed for eye protection (Bonina 2019, EP3570862-A1), treatment of excessive skin pigmentation (Hu et al. 2017, CN108853198A), and treatment of respiratory diseases such as bronchitis (Ding 2015, CN104983831A) and pneumonia (Quin 2015, CN105030951A).

Figure 3 lists the main publication areas of scientific papers, with Agriculture and Biological Sciences accounting for 45% of publications within the sample space. Health-related fields also stand out in this scenario, corroborating the findings of this prospective study.

Figure 3
Areas of articles published on Morus nigra L.

Bioactive compounds from mulberry fruits have been identified and associated with beneficial health effects and promising results, including a potent antioxidant from M. nigra-extracted polysaccharides that reduce liver function damage (Li et al. 2023); flavonoids that reduced prediabetes progression by 75% to type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (Ren et al. 2022), and methyl caffeate, which showed selective toxicity to cancer cell lines, causing cervical cancer cell apoptosis at micromolar concentrations in mouse tests (Wang et al. 2021). Thus, several benefits associated with mulberry are due to the high levels of active compounds (Kızıldeniz et al. 2023).

In food and beverage production, Thampitak et al. (2022) designed and produced mulberry low-fat ice cream supplemented with synbiotics. Terzić et al. (2022) studied cold-pressing juices enriched with dry extract of guarana seeds using M. nigra and another red fruit, proving to be a potent Cu⁺² ion-reducing agent. In turn, Vega et al. (2021) produced a solid coloring formulation from M. nigra juice using the spray-drying technique, revealing good stability over time, low microbial load, and lack of cytotoxicity.

In materials and chemistry areas, the development of an intelligent packaging based on psyllium seed gum with a pH indicator from natural pigments of mulberry pomace extract stands out, evaluating an increase in phenolic content and reduction in hydrophobicity (Zhang et al. 2021); the use of polymeric compounds (exopolysaccharide) extracted from M. nigra fruit in pesticide formulation (Mohammed et al. 2021); and the use of M. nigra extract in carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based film for postharvest fruit conservation. This latter study found material sensitivity to pH and controlled release of active compounds such as phenolic compounds and anthocyanins in a constant profile from 2 to 240 hours (Sganzerla et al. 2021).

Annual evolution of patent documents and papers

The aim of investigating the annual evolution of patent filings and paper publications is to understand whether or not the theme has been more widely disseminated over the years. The first patent filing dates back to 1988, claiming the production of a food coloring agent made of vegetable raw material, including M. nigra fruit for addition to alcohol-free tonic drinks (Karimdzhanov et al. 1988a, EP0354960A1). Regarding paper publications, the first record was in 1999 in a study on M. nigra induced anaphylaxis (Armentia et al. 1999).

The most recent patent involves the use of nanotechnology, an emerging method widely disseminated in academia. The utility model number CZ36883U1 (Buzgo 2022) is a nanofibrous cosmetic membrane containing plant-derived stimulating molecules for skin treatment, with intellectual property rights granted in 2023. Gao et al. (2024) conducted a study in which lipid nanoparticles derived from M. nigra leaves were used orally for liver carcinoma treatment. The numbers related to annual progress can be seen in Figure 4.

Figure 4
Number of patent document filings and article publications on Morus nigra between the years 1969 and 2023.

The year with the highest number of patent filings was 2019, with patents focused on facial care products, such as daily use cream with M. nigra root extract (Gong & Du 2019a, CN111973544A, Gong & Du 2019c, CN111973486A), both filed by Shanghai Yoshine Biotechnology Co Ltd. In food and beverage production, a yogurt based on aqueous soy extract (Domingo & Sayat 2019, PH22019050414U1) and a jam with fresh white, red, and black berries (Baston & Pricop 2019, RO135033A2) were developed. It is worth noting that the period of secrecy for filed patents is 18 months before they become available. This factor may explain the slight decrease in the number of patents filed from 2022 onwards.

The highest number of scientific publications occurred in 2021, with studies emphasizing the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds present in M. nigra and M. alba L. leaves (Polumackanycz et al. 2021) and the use of M. nigra in colon cancer treatment (Erden 2021).

Importantly, between 2020 and 2023, the world was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period, medications and dietary supplements were used to treat symptoms, and research utilizing M. nigra was also conducted. Koparal & Ege (2023) evaluated the use of M. nigra in COVID-19 treatment. Among patients diagnosed with the coronavirus, 6.82% used M. nigra for treatment. These data support patent number WO2021222965A1 (Eslamian & Schifko 2020), filed in 2020, which relates to mannose-binding lectin found in plants, including M. nigra, for the treatment or prophylaxis of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Other patents involving mulberry in the composition of drugs to treat respiratory diseases include CN105030941A (Jiang 2015), CN105030951A (Quin 2015) and CN104983831A (Ding 2015).

Table I lists the 20 most cited patents and their respective status. Of these, 6 have expired, 8 had their applications discontinued, 5 were abandoned, and one is active, with the document filed in 2013 claiming a product for medicinal and cosmetic use. The patent was granted in 2020 (Ragot 2013, US10729662B2).

Table I
The most cited patents and respective publication number, type of claim and legal status.

Title	Publication number	Type of claim	Number of citations	Status	Reference
Compositions and methods for inhibiting the formation of unwanted skin pigmentation	US5773014A	Product Method	39	Expired	Perrier & Rival (1996)
Nutritional supplement for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and regulation and reduction of blood sugar and insulin resistance	US2009252758A1	Product Method	36	Withdrawn	Mazed & Mazed (2008)
High purity rhamnolipid cosmetic application	WO2015030702A2	Product Method Application	27	Abandoned	Desanto (2013)
Methods for promoting joint and bone health	WO2007139887A2	Method	24	Abandoned	Boddupalli et al. (2006)
Compositions for treating keratinous surfaces	US2004009130A1	Product Method	20	Withdrawn	Detore et al. (2002)
Cosmetic compositions containing extract of clover	US2004005278A1	Product Method	15	Withdrawn	Reinhart et al. (2002)
Preparing alcoholic composition made of tea comprises alcoholic fermentation of tea infusion with sugar and fermentation microorganisms, adding dry plant material in the infusion, before, during and/or after fermentation, and recovering	FR2943354A1	Product	14	Expired	Pottecher (2009)
Obtaining biologically active compositions by extracting plants, comprises separately treating medicinal plants by extracting processes to obtain total crude extract/fractions and selecting extracts/fractions having metabolic activity	FR2908309A1	Product	14	Expired	Mioskowski et al. (2006b)
Ethanol-free extraction of polyphenols	WO2016118027A1	Method	13	Abandoned	Lemke et al. (2015)
Cosmetic composition	JP2008050292A	Product	12	Abandoned	Odera (2006)
Herbal composition and medicament against diabetes mellitus type II manufactured thereof	US2002102315A1	Product	11	Expired	Leko (1999a)
Use of substances which act on igf-1 and/or igf-1r for the anti-ageing activity thereof	WO2012175868A2	Use	10	Abandoned	Paufique (2011)
Anti-free-radical and anti-malonaldehyde extracts of mulberry leaves	FR2673530A1	Product	8	Expired	Monique (1991)
Process and product extracted from herbal composition useful in controlling diabetes mellitus type II	US2003206976A1	Product	7	Expired	Leko (1999b)
Hair dye composition and preparation method thereof	CN105902462A	Product Use	6	Withdrawn	Liu (2016)
Bioremediation mask and preparation method thereof	CN108743448A	Product	5	Withdrawn	Xu et al. (2018)
Morus berries and avoiding glucose peaks	CN103998051A	Product Method	5	Withdrawn	Zhang et al. (2011)
Method of preparing a vegan cheese	EP3366144A1	Method	5	Withdrawn	Iruthayathasan & Lahousse (2017)
Product comprising a plant for medicinal, cosmetic, coloring or dermatologic use	US10729662B2	Product	5	Active	Ragot et al. (2013)
Carnosine firming-lifting facial mask and preparation method of mask	CN111973544A	Product Method	4	Withdrawn	Gong & Du (2019a)

An invention patent has a validity period of 20 years, while for a utility model this period corresponds to 15 years. In many cases, patents expire before the mentioned period, and one possible reason is the cost of maintaining intellectual property rights. An example is patent US5773014A (Perrier & Rival 1996), which was the most cited, granted in 1998, with fees paid until 2009. Regarding patents with discontinued applications, the reasons listed on the search platform include the failure to respond to requests from the office in which the intellectual property recognition was filed (Mazed & Mazed 2008, US2009252758A1, Detore et al. 2002, US2004009130A1, Reinhart et al. 2002, US2004005278A1), rejection without providing further details (Liu 2016, CN105902462A, Xu et al. 2018, CN108743448A), and withdrawals after publication (Zhang 2011, CN103998051A, Iruthayathasan & Lahousse 2017, EP3366144A1, Gong & Du 2019b, CN111973544A). For abandoned patents, there is no additional information.

Although the 20 most cited patents do not directly indicate the current development of the topic, an evaluation of the most recent intellectual property documents shows a growth trend. Eight documents were mapped within the search criteria, considering the filing period between 2021 and 2022. Of these, five intellectual property rights have already been granted, including one utility model and four patents. One document is under investigation, and two have no additional information, with only the filing date reported.

Besides the previously highlighted publication number CZ36883U1 (Buzgo 2022), another patent that involves a promising technology is number KR102481058B1 (Beomsu & Deshmukh 2021), which concerns the synthesis of graphene using extracts from dark plants, including black mulberry. Graphene is a material with high technological potential due to its low density and properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity and heat resistance, implying various application possibilities. This patent was granted in 2022.

In the cosmetics field, specifically products related to hair darkening, patents CN112587434A (Shi 2021) and AU2021240202A1 (Lee et al. 2021) were granted in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Patent CN113693981A (Liu 2021), filed in 2021, has not yet been granted but pertains to a moisturizing lotion for maintaining skin health, defending external stimulation, preventing aging, and beautifying skin. In turn, the document CN114948808A (Han & Han 2022), filed in 2022, did not have the patent granted for its anti-hair loss formula. These documents show that the use of cosmetics, especially hair-care products, is still rising, corroborating the global growth of the cosmetics sector.

In the food sector, the most recent patent within the established search criteria is from 2021, concerning the production of a nutraceutical flour that may contain leaves, bark, or roots of the plant. It was published in 2022, but there are no further details about its current status (Buonamici 2021, IT202100010940A1). This flour is intended for controlling blood sugar and preventing diabetes. This technology supports what Tornaghi et al. (2023) explained, highlighting the efficacy of black mulberry in treating diabetes and obesity, mainly due to the polyphenol content that interacts with various metabolic pathways. Following the same line of nutraceutical properties, patent CN113480503A (Mao et al. 2021), granted in 2023, involves the use of M. nigra extract prepared from the plant’s branches for hypoglycemic effects.

Regarding papers, eight were published in the first half of 2023, three from China, two from Turkey, and one each from Australia, Serbia, and Romania. These publications appeared in journals with percentiles up to 98. Publication in high-impact journals corroborates the understanding that the topic is relevant.

Notable countries in patent filing and paper publications

Among the major patent-filing countries (Figure 5), China stands out with 44% of M. nigra-related documents filed, showing a significant advantage compared to other countries. The genus Morus is native to Asia, specifically India and China, near the Himalayas. The use of M. nigra in China is ancient and popular, often associated with the treatment of hyperglycemia and cardiovascular diseases. In this region, it is also known as “medicinal mulberry” and “Xatuti.” This fact may justify China’s prominence in research development and the publication of scientific innovations (Li et al. 2023, Yao et al. 2024). The first patent filed in China was in 2011, confirming the country’s growing interest in technology development, a process that has intensified in recent decades.

Figure 5
Main countries that have filed patent documents and published articles related to Morus nigra.

The second-largest filer is the World Intellectual Property Organization - WIPO (17%), followed by the United States (17%), Brazil (14%), and the European Patent Office - EPO (7%). In Brazil, the first patent filing was in 2002, in a study on the use of M. nigra fruit in the production of a universal pH indicator (Rossi 2002, PI 0216120-6).

Turkey appears as the country with the most paper publications related to M. nigra (30%), followed by China (29%), Iran (14%), Italy (14%), and Brazil (12%). These details are depicted in Figure 5.

Brazil is among the major patent-filing countries, as well as in the papers published in journals, with ten and nine documents, respectively, considering the searched databases. Patent filings in Brazil range from 2002 to 2020, with most documents in the pharmaceutical (drugs and cosmetics) and food industries, using extracts obtained from M. nigra fruit, leaves, or roots employing various techniques to preserve bioactive compounds. An example of developed technology is related to the treatment of acute or chronic infection (Castro et al 2016, BR1020160078822) and treatment of menopausal symptoms (Castro et al. 2011, PI1105827-7). Thus, both in patent filings and paper publications, emerging countries stand out.

Relationship between patent applicants and research funders

Regarding patent applicants, there was no significant predominance of one institution over the others. Shanghai Yoshine Biotechnology CO Ltd emerges as the main applicant with three documents, all filed in 2019; however, no additional information about the company and its field of operation was found. With two filings each, the other institutions identified by this study are as follows: the Chinese company Foshan Qianru Cosmetics Co Ltd, mainly operating in the pharmaceutical market and holder of 143 patents, with most registered in China; and Qin Yuexia (2015), also from China, a natural person who presents himself as an inventor and applicant, with the first patent registration request in 2012, totaling 37 patents, mostly claimed in China and related to the pharmaceutical market. Information was obtained through the GoodIP IQ platform (2023a, b).

Nestec S. A. (2023) is a Swiss-based company and one of the largest food companies in the world. It has a role in the innovation process through collaboration with academic institutions worldwide, focusing on science and research. Alphanosos S. A. (2023) is a French technology company aimed at composing aqueous extracts of selected plants with innovative, sustainable, and safe active ingredients for applications in health, beauty, animal health, food, and reproduction. Beijing WeHand-Bio Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (2023) is a company founded in 2010 in China focusing on the development of drugs for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, tumors, and cardiovascular diseases. No additional information was found about the Inst Bioorg Khim Akademii Nauk and Ding Qi.

As previously discussed, the data obtained confirm China’s leadership in exploring technologies using black mulberry for various applications.

In Brazil, the patent applicants include independents, private companies, and universities. Among the educational and research institutions are the Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB), Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), and Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), showing that scientific development on M. nigra is disseminated across various regions of the country. The private company PAT - Plant Advanced Technologies, founded in 2005 in France, appears as the only private company with a patent application in INPI. The company’s portfolio highlights its activities in plant biotechnology, plant-based chemistry, metabolic engineering, and aeroponics.

As for the major research funders, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (2023) stands out with eight citations. The institution is linked to the Ministry of Science and Technology and is the main institution that funded research projects resulting in paper publications. It was founded in 1986 and aims to promote research, foster talent, and build infrastructure for basic research. The Ministry of Education of Serbia appears with four citations, and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), both Brazilian agencies, appear with three citations each.

It can be noted that there is still potential for technology exploitation through scientific studies, and this action should be encouraged primarily by educational and research institutions.

The leading inventors and authors

The top five patent applicants each have three documents. Gale McElroy Reinhart and James Joseph Ferone, according to data found on the Justia Patents® platform (2023a, b, c), collaborate on several works, primarily focused on skin, hair, and nail care. Jie Gong and Jianhua Du also collaborate on the development of cosmetic products (Rutgers School 2023). No information was found about Vladimir Leko.

Regarding journal article authors, Marija Radojković stands out with five publications related to M. nigra. She is a researcher in the field of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical and food applications and a professor at the Faculty of Technology at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia. Francisca Hernández has four publications and is a Spanish researcher who works at the Institute of Agro-food and Agro-environmental Research and Innovation at the Miguel Hernandéz University of Elche in Valencia, Spain, since 1998, conducting research on bioactive compounds. In the scope of this study, four works of her authorship were found. Yongkun Ma is a researcher at the School of Food and Biological Engineering at Jiangsu University in China and has three papers, as does Ghazale Hojjatpanah, who graduated in Engineering from the University of Tehran. Remarkably, the research development related to this topic is disseminated across different parts of the globe through researchers working in different countries.

Perspective and future challenges

The new global economy focuses, among other points, on the search for alternative food resources that must be healthy, with a rich and diverse nutrient composition. In this context, food products utilizing M. nigra have attracted academic interest, with various studies being published. Examples include the production of probiotic-fermented black mulberry juice (LV et al. 2022), natural food coloring (Vega et al. 2021), M. nigra molasses rich in anthocyanin as a substitute for sugar syrup and artificial additives in gummy candy production (Kurt et al. 2021), and black mulberry extract-enriched pasta to reduce starch hydrolysis index and glycemic index (Yazdankhah et al. 2019). These examples validate the use of M. nigra in different food applications often associated with potential health benefits. Some of the mentioned applications are also directly related to specific technological processes that aim to prolong shelf life or obtain specific sensory attributes in products.

However, in terms of intellectual property protection, there is still a gap that needs to be further explored, with few patents in the sector. Therefore, companies and inventors should promote greater dissemination of technological innovation, with the ultimate goal of bringing academic knowledge to the market.

According to the Future Market Insights (2024), there is a projection that the global blackberry market will expand from $26.4 million in 2024 to $42.4 million in 2034. It is also worth noting that M. nigra is preferred by consumers due to its sweeter fruits and more vibrant color compared to other species. Multinational companies have shown interest in developing new M. nigra-based products, with Nestlé® launching mulberry leaf extract powder milk in China. The Future Market Insights also highlights the potential use of the plant in infant formulas due to the presence of prebiotic fibers.

In Brazil, the regulation of any new food product or ingredient must be previously authorized by the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), with prior proof of its safety to protect potential consumers (Brasil 2023a). The National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to the Unified Health System (ReniSUS), created in 2019, includes 71 plant species, among them the genus Morus. The Brazilian Ministry of Health, in a systematized data collection, recognizes the popular use of the plant and the benefits listed throughout this study (Brasil 2023b).

Lastly, it is necessary to emphasize that black mulberry cultivation is considered one of the most versatile, also enabling the development of forestry, water and soil conservation, and air quality improvement due to carbon sequestration, meeting current sustainability demands (Rohela et al. 2020, Matran et al. 2023).

CONCLUSIONS

In this prospective study, most of the investigated patents were classified in section A (Human necessities), primarily due to the significant biological activities of the active compounds present in different parts of the black mulberry, enabling applications in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. China was identified as the top patent-filing country, indicating the Asian country’s interest in using plant extracts in the mentioned applications. Most publications in journals originated from Turkish research groups, with works in the areas of health, agriculture, food, and materials. In 2021, there was a peak in patent applications, with 13 claims, while the year 2019 stood out for paper publications with ten works published, showing a general trend of growth over the decade.

Emerging countries stand out in scientific research and in the pursuit of technology development using M. nigra, with emphasis on technology patent filings by private companies operating in plant biotechnology, also aiming for sustainability actions that can be driven by climate change and the need to promote circular economy development.

Brazil stands out in both the number of patent applications and research development on M. nigra. The term UFP, coined in the country less than 20 years ago, may be considered recent, but its use can encourage further studies and, consequently, the development of technologies to diversify food sources, a topic widely discussed by the United Nations in pursuit of sustainable development.

The global market already estimates an increase in mulberry production. Large companies are developing technologies applying various parts of the plant, but the number is limited compared to the potential elucidated in this prospective study. It is crucial at this moment to increase the number of scientific research focused on using different parts of the plant, mainly in food applications.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Universidade Federal da Bahia for financial support in the translation process of this article.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  15 Nov 2024
• Date of issue
  2024

History

• Received
  11 May 2024
• Accepted
  9 July 2024