A Review of Aronia melanocarpa’s Phytochemical Profile, Health Benefits, and Applications in Agri-Food Systems

(commonly known as black chokeberry) is a Rosaceae species native to eastern North America that has long been recognized as both a food and medicinal plant. Its berries are rich in polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins such as cyanidin-3-O-galactoside (19-1282 mg/100 g), which are associated with a wide range of bioactivities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, cardiometabolic-regulating, and antitumor effects. These activities involve key signaling pathways such as Nrf2/KEAP1, NF-κB/MAPK, and PI3K/Akt, as well as inhibition of ferroptosis. The rich phytochemical profile of aronia supports diverse applications in the agri-food sector, including sports nutrition products, natural antioxidant additives, natural pigments, food preservation, and food coloring. Based on a systematic search of Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Taylor & Francis, ScienceDirect, CNKI, and Wanfang Data up to October 2025, this narrative review summarizes the latest advances in aronia cultivation, chemical composition, pharmacological mechanisms, and food and clinical applications. Despite the growing body of evidence, significant gaps remain: clinical studies in humans are still limited, standardized extracts are lacking, and little is known about how these bioactive compounds behave during food processing and storage. This review highlights these gaps and outlines future research directions to maximize the potential of aronia for promoting human health.