AbstractBACKGROUNDBerry pomace is a valuable but little used by‐product of juice manufacturing. When processed to a stable fruit powder, the composition differs from that of the whole fruit. To facilitate application in foods, a detailed knowledge of its composition and physicochemical properties is essential.RESULTSBlackcurrant, redcurrant, chokeberry, rowanberry and gooseberry were selected for analysis. All pomace powders had a high fibre content (> 550 g kg−1) and a fat content of up to 200 g kg−1. Despite identical milling conditions, the particle sizes of the pomace powders varied. This can be traced back to seed content and brittleness, which also becomes apparent with respect to surface characteristics. Blackcurrant pomace powder differed from other varieties in terms of its low water‐binding capacity (3.2 g g−1) and a moderate moisture uptake, whereas chokeberry pomace powder showed the highest polyphenol content and rowanberry pomace powder was rich in flavonols.CONCLUSIONThe results obtained in the present study provide a comprehensive overview of the properties of berry pomace powder and allow conclusions to be made regarding their applicability for use in complex food systems. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry