Apples are seasonal fruits, and thus after harvesting apples of optimal picking maturity, it is important to prepare them properly for storage and to ensure proper storage conditions in order to ...minimize changes in the chemical composition and commercial quality of the apples. We studied the quantitative composition of triterpenic compounds in the whole apple, apple peel and apple flesh samples before placing them in the controlled atmosphere (CA) chambers, and at the end of the experiment, 8 months later. HPLC analysis showed that highest total amount of triterpenic compounds (1.99 ± 0.01 mg g−1) was found in the whole apple samples of the ‘Spartan’ cultivar stored under variant VIII (O2—20%, CO2—3%, N2—77%) conditions. Meanwhile, the highest amount of triterpenic compounds (11.66 ± 0.72 mg g−1) was determined in the apple peel samples of the ‘Auksis’ cultivar stored under variant II (O2—5%, CO2—1%, N2—94%) conditions. In the apple peel samples of the ‘Auksis’ cultivar stored under variant I (O2—21%, CO2—0.03%, N2—78.97%) conditions, the amount of individual triterpenic compounds (ursolic, oleanolic, corosolic, and betulinic acids) significantly decreased compared with amount determined before the storage. Therefore, in the apple flesh samples determined triterpenic compounds are less stable during the storage under controlled atmosphere conditions compared with triterpenic compounds determined in the whole apple and apple peel samples.
In recent years, much attention has been devoted to
L. berries because of their substantial potential to be adapted for the development of innovative food and pharmaceutical applications. The ...accumulation of plant secondary metabolites is extremely dependent on climate and other environmental conditions. In order to increase the reliability of the findings, this study was conducted with samples collected in four regions in Northern Europe (Norway, Finland, Latvia, and Lithuania) and analyzed in a single laboratory using a standardized methodology. The study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nutritional (biologically active compounds (phenolic (477-775 mg/100 g fw), anthocyanins (20-57 mg/100 g fw), pro-anthocyanidins (condensed tannins (141-269 mg/100 g fw)) and antioxidant activity in different systems (ABTS
, FRAP). Physicochemical properties (acidity, soluble solids, color) of wild
L. were also evaluated. The results may contribute to the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals with potential health benefits in the future. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report on the evaluation of the biologically active compounds of wild lingonberries from different Northern European countries based on one laboratory's validated methods. The results indicated a geomorphological influence on the biochemical and physicochemical composition of wild
L. depending on their place of geographical origin.
The aim of this study was to characterize the variation in biologically active compounds, antioxidant activity and physico-chemical properties in naturally grown bilberries gathered from different ...sites in Northern Europe. The variability in the biologically active compounds, antioxidant capacity and physico-chemical properties, as well as the development of tools for the authenticity and quality control of wild bilberries (
L.) in different geographical locations was evaluated. The berries of bilberries were handpicked during the summers of 2019 and 2020 during the time periods when they are typically harvested for commercial purposes in Northern Europe (Norway (NOR), Finland (FIN), Latvia (LVA) and Lithuania (LTU)). Berries from locations in NOR were distinguished by their higher mean TPC (791 mg/100 g FW, average), whereas the mean TPC of samples from the most southern country, LTU, was the lowest (587 mg/100 g FW). The TPC of bilberries ranged from 452 to 902 mg/100 g FW. The TAC values of investigated bilberry samples varied from 233 to 476 mg/100 g FW. A high positive correlation was found between TPC and antioxidant activity of the bilberry samples (R = 0.88 and 0.91 (FRAP and ABTS assays, respectively)), whereas the correlation between TAC and antioxidant activity was lower (R = 0.65 and 0.60). There were variations in the TPC and TAC values of investigated berries, suggesting that genotype also affects the TPC and TAC in berries. In 2020, the pH values and TSS contents of berries were significantly lower than in 2019. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive reported evaluation of the biologically active compounds in wild bilberries from different Northern European countries using one laboratory-validated method.
Pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments (1–10 kJ/kg at 3 kV/cm) were applied before pressing of blueberry fruits to improve the yield and quality of expressed juice as well as the recovery of ...anthocyanins from blueberry by-products (press cake) via solid–liquid extraction. A PEF pre-treatment at 1 kJ/kg was sufficient to significantly increase the juice yield (by 32%) with respect to the untreated sample. Higher energy input (10 kJ/kg) was most favorable for the largest increment of anthocyanin content (55%) and antioxidant capacity (36 and 41%, determined by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) assay, respectively) in juice. Extracts obtained from the press cake of PEF-treated blueberries at 10 kJ/kg possessed an anthocyanin content (75%) and antioxidant capacity (71 and 109%, determined by FRAP and DPPH assay, respectively) higher than that of the extracts obtained from non-treated berries press cake. HPLC analyses revealed the major classes of the detected anthocyanins as glycosides of delphinidin, cyanidin, petunidin, peonidin, and malvidin, and no significant degradation of individual anthocyanins due to PEF application was observed. The present PEF pre-treatment could be a promising approach to facilitate efficient extraction of juice and antioxidants especially anthocyanins from blueberry and their by-products.
In this study, the qualitative changes in raw birch sap after freezing and thawing were determined. Ten-liter bottles and one-ton plastic containers with six replications were used for the freezing ...of birch sap and thawing of frozen sap. During and after the thawing, the physical and physical–chemical properties of the sap were measured. According to the results, as the ice melts, the concentration of acids and other soluble substances in the sap decreases, but changes in qualitative indicators indicate the beginning of fermentation processes through color changes and pH as the temperature of the melting sap becomes positive. As a result, to freeze raw sap in large-volume containers, it is necessary to develop fast thawing technology using auxiliary means—circulation, external energy sources, and mechanical ice crushing.
Two types of fruit puree consisting of (1) pears/apples/yellow cherry plums and (2) apples/black currants were enriched with raspberry marc extract containing valuable antioxidants. The addition of ...2% marc extract increased total phenolic content (TPC) from 108.8 to 345.8 and from 176.1 to 396.2 mg/100 g in the puree (1) and (2), respectively. The total anthocyanin content (TAC), ellagic acid and ellagitannin concentrations as well as antioxidant capacity of purees also increased with increasing concentration of marc extract additive. The increase of free ellagic acid (up to 44%) in the purees with extract additives after preparation was related to a partial hydrolysis of ellagitannins. Higher extract concentrations resulted in the increased bitterness and astringency of the products; therefore the concentration of raspberry marc additives in purees of up to 1.6% may be recommended.
•Raspberry marc extract – a rich source of polyphenolic antioxidants, ellagitannins.•Its additives up to 2% remarkably increased antioxidant potential of fruit purees.•Its additives remarkably enriched fruit purees with ellagitannins & anthocyanins.•Its additives up to 1.6% were acceptable in terms of sensory quality of fruit purees.•Raspberry marc extract ingredients increase nutritional value of fruit purees.
The value of fruits is determined by the quantity and variety of biologically active compounds they contain, and their benefits on human health. This work presents the first study of the biochemical ...composition and antibacterial activity of the new Japanese quince (JQ) cultivars 'Darius', 'Rondo', and 'Rasa' fruits. The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and each compound was identified by HPLC High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The antimicrobial activity against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria, and one yeast strain, was evaluated by the agar well diffusion method using three different concentrations. The free radical scavenging activity was determined using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) methods and ranged from 99.1 to 115.9 μmol
/100 g, and from 372 to 682 μmol
/100 g, respectively. TPC ranged from 3906 to 4550 mg
/100 g, and five compounds, isoquercitrin, rutin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and chlorogenic acid were identified. All JQ extracts possessed antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and
(ATCC 29212) was the most sensitive strain. These results indicate that JQ fruits are a significant source of bio-compounds, which can enrich the diet with strong antioxidants, and they are very promising as a substitute for chemical preservatives in the food and cosmetic industry.
genus berries-wild bilberries (
L.) and cultivated highbush blueberries (
L.)-are consumed worldwide, and their consumption has a trend of stable increase. Thus, considering their wide use in ...ethnomedicine, for juice and jam production, as functional food, as well as their use in preparations of extracts which have application potential in pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, studies regarding the composition of these berries are of special importance. The aim of this study is to characterise the elemental and isotopic composition, as well as variation in element concentration in bilberries gathered from different sites in Northern Europe and in commercially available blueberry samples from across the World. Furthermore, our aim was to develop tools for authenticity and quality control of these berries. The elemental composition of berries was analysed using inductively coupled plasma with optical emission detection (ICP-OED), while isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) was used for the determination of isotope ratio values. The results demonstrated detectable differences between macro- and microelement values in bilberries. IRMS analysis of blueberries revealed significant differences in isotope ratios based on the place of origin, indicating the possibility to use this analytical method for authenticity testing. In none of the samples, pollution was detected, even though there were indications of different growth conditions and geochemical differences affecting bilberry composition.
Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SCE-CO2) is an attractive, green technology that is used for the recovery of biologically active compounds from plant material. The antioxidant potential of ...lipophilic fractions (extract obtained with SCE-CO2) and hydrophilic fractions (extracts obtained from the residue after extraction) obtained from a matrix of freeze-dried tomatoes (cvs. “Admiro” F1, “Jurgiai”, “Vilina”, “Pirmutis”, and “Skariai”) was assessed via different antioxidant activity methods. The total amount of polyphenols, carotenoids, and carotenoid isomers before and after SCE-CO2 extraction was also determined. To investigate the effect of the SCE-CO2 extract on the viability of cancer cells, rat glioblastoma C6 cells were chosen. The SCE-CO2 yielded an average of 800 mg of lipophilic fraction per 100 g of freeze-dried tomatoes. The ABTS•+ scavenging activity of the extract was 251 ± 3.4 µmol TE/g. After SCE-CO2 extraction, the DPPH•-RSA of the freeze-dried tomato matrix was 7 to 12% higher. There was a strong positive correlation (R = 0.84) between the total polyphenolics content and the DPPH•-RSA of the tomato samples. The SCE-CO2 increased the radical scavenging activity of the extraction residue, indicating that a considerable fraction of the hydrophilic compounds with particular antioxidant capacity remain unextracted from the tomato matrix. Our results reveal the cytotoxic effect of lycopene extract rich in cis-isomers (62% cis-isomers of the total lycopene content) on rat glioblastoma C6 cells. The viability of the glioblastoma C6 cells significantly decreased (−42%) at a total lycopene concentration of 2.4 µM after 24 h of incubation.