There is no doubt that sea buckthorn is an important source of vitamin C. Even oranges, lemons and grapefruits contain only around 40–80 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of fruit, while blackcurrants contain just 150–220 mg. The wide range of vitamin C content is related to the origin of the fruit. Due to the absence of the vitamin-degrading enzyme ascorbin oxidase and the low pH value of 2.5, the vitamin C content remains constant even during storage. Studies by Arimboor et al. found between 35.6 and 36.4 g of titratable acids per kg of juice. The main component, at 18.1–19.9 g/kg, is quinic acid, followed by malic acid, with values between 11.8 and 14.8 g/kg, and citric acid, with values between 0.9 and 1.6 g/kg. These values may also vary depending on the origin of the sea buckthorn. Quinic acid is of outstanding nutritional and physiological importance. To make the high acid content palatable for humans, a “sweetener” must be added. To meet our commitment to using only natural ingredients for SANIDCCA products, we chose organic beet sugar from Austria. Artificial sweeteners such as stevia, acesulfame K, saccharin, thaumatin or aspartame were therefore ruled out; other common sweeteners, such as concentrated juices made from apples, pears or agaves, as well as coconut blossom sugar, were not suitable due to sensory differences or are difficult to obtain in organic quality.
