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.