Researchers at the USDA-ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, CA, developed a way to make 100-percent fruit bars. The bars are made from a USDA ARS-patented technique developed by scientists Tara McHugh and Charles Huxoll (retired). The technique uses blemished or damaged fruit that would have otherwise been discarded. The bars come in a variety of flavors, including apple and pear, and variations of each combined with either blueberries, cherries, strawberries, cranberries or raspberries. These bars are cholesterol-free, and loaded with fiber and minerals. Full-sized bars (40 grams) are equivalent to two fresh fruit servings. Not only are they nutritious, but they are convenient and have a 2-year shelf life.

Gorge Delights, Inc., of North Bonneville, WA, manufactures and sells the full-sized bars under the trade name JustFruit™. In addition, the company makes about 200,000 private label bars for various customers. The company has exclusive licensing rights to use the USDA ARS-patented technology to create bars from purées and concentrates. As a direct result of this technology, 40 new jobs have been created in North Bonneville, WA—an area with 30 percent unemployment—to produce the bars.

The newest version of this product is a snack-sized version that is perfect for healthy snacking. These new junior-sized bars (25 grams)—coming in at under an ounce—provide the equivalent of about one serving of fresh fruit. These slim, go-anywhere packs are perfect for kids or for adults who want a healthy, flavorful, small-sized snack. They can be taken along for a hike, bike ride, camping or a trip to the gym. With a 2-year shelf life, the bars are handy for storing for emergency use in the car or at home.

JustFruit™ bars are sold at many retail stores out West, like Walgreens, Whole Foods Market, Rosauers, New Seasons Markets, Haggen Food & Pharmacy, Top Foods and other retailers. They are also available from many online stores and from Gorge Delights at: www.GorgeDelights.com. All of the bars are gluten-free, kosher-certified, and do not contain fillers, preservatives or other artificial ingredients.

Another new extension of this product is Bear Fruit Bars™, which is made from organically-grown apples and berries using the USDA-ARS-patented technology. These bars are manufactured and sold by Mountain Organic Foods, and are available on the Web at: www.morfoods.com.

Gorge Delights uses about half a million pounds of fresh fruit each year—fruit that would have otherwise been thrown away. To date, they have produced about 5.5 million bars. The bars have been sold all over the globe, including Iran, Japan, Mexico, Canada and Peru to name a few.

Scientific Contact:

Tara McHugh
tara.mchugh@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (510) 559-5864