The fruit is edible, and rich in vitamin C, though with a very sharp flavor. Various parts of this plant including its root, stem, leaves and fruit of the plant is used in medicine, food, industry, etc.
The fruits are consumed raw or cooked. The seedless barberry fruit has been used by various ethnic populations as food. Barberry fruits consumed in the form of jams and other preserves, sirups and wines were commonly eaten during the Medieval times in England and western Europe.
In Iran, the dried fruit, known as zereshk, is more extensively used, imparting a tart flavor to the meals.
In Iran people drink barberry juice and use its fruit in nectar, marmalade, jelly, jam, pickles, syrups, round flat candy, sauces, carbonated beverages, dried barberry concentrate, and Sohan Asali (a traditional Iranian sweet). It is also used in preparing food and making liquor.
Dried barberries are also a popular food item in Georgia. In this country the fruits of barberries, locally known as ‘‘kotsakhuri’’, are added to meat dishes and used as a spice in this region.
The barberry is Azerbaijan as a natural preservative for pickled onions. This marinated dish consists of sliced white onions with layers stacked in between rows of freshly harvested barberries.
Barberries for cooking
