Ellagic Acid itself is not naturally present in plants. However, polymers of Gallic acid and hexahydroxydipenoyl (HHDP) are linked to glucose centers to form compounds known as ellagitannins. When two Gallic acid groups are linked side by side within a tannin molecule an HHDP group is formed. Ellagic Acid is the result when the HHDP group is cleaved from the tannin molecule and spontaneously rearranges.

It is the ellagitannins that are present in red raspberries.

The Meeker Red Raspberry contains the most ellagitannins and is thus the best source of Ellagic Acid.

Other foods such as strawberries, pomegranates, and walnuts contain much less amounts of Ellagitannins. The bioavailability from these other sources has not been confirmed.

Ellagic acid is a scavenger of free-radicals chemicals, making them inactive, inhibiting the ability of other chemicals to cause mutations in bacteria.