Potential health benefits of rose hip products

The use of wild fruits in a wide variety of food and other nutritional products has gained interest in recent years by more health-conscious consumers. Rose hips, the fruits obtained from rose flowers, have been used widely in teas, jams and jellies but have more recently also attracted attention because of their health promotional potential. The increasing consumer demand for natural and tasty functional foods, has made rose hips a desirable natural product in Europe. As an agricultural crop, rose hip requires relatively low levels of maintenance and is therefore a potentially profitable crop for both food and nutraceutical industries. The aim of this study is to review the potential health benefits of rose hip and products made from this crop. It is hoped that the food industry as well as the consumers will benefit greatly from rose hip products.