Boxthorn

Boxthorn is the common name for thorny shrubs of the genus Lycium in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), notably Lycium barbarum and L. chinense, the plants behind goji berries, also called wolfberries. The small red fruits are consumed dried, juiced, or as powdered extracts and are marketed in functional foods for their carotenoids, polysaccharides, and vitamin content. Because premium goji commands high prices, quality control emphasizes authenticity testing against adulteration with inferior berries, pesticide-residue screening, and monitoring of sulfur dioxide residues left by drying treatments.