Chemometric Valorization of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) cv. ‘Albion’ for the Production of Functional Juice: The Impact of Physicochemical, Toxicological, Sensory, and Bioactive Value

Anica Bebek Markovinović,Branimir Pavlić,Jose Manuel Lorenzo,Danijela Bursać Kovačević,Martina Ivešić,Iva Palac Bešlić,Adela Krivohlavek,Ivana Mandić Andačić,Boris Duralija,Predrag Putnik

doi:10.3390/foods11050640

Anica Bebek Markovinović, Branimir Pavlić + Show 8 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050640

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Abstract

Strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. ‘Albion’) were harvested at two stages of ripeness (75% vs. 100%) and their physicochemical, sensory, toxicological, and bioactive properties were evaluated before and after processing into juice. The fresh fruits and their by-products were also evaluated. During processing into juice, the color change was higher in the fully ripe fruits, confirming the encouraging prospects for using the less ripe strawberries for processing. The analysis of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, As, Cd, Pb) was carried out, and in juice and by-product samples of 100% maturity, only Pb was higher than the MDK. Of the 566 pesticides analyzed, only cyprodinil was found in the by-products of the strawberries at 75% maturity, while pyrimethanil was detected in all samples. Fresh strawberries of both ripeness levels were rated similarly to the corresponding juices for all sensory attributes studied, indicating that sensory perception was not affected by processing. However, ripeness was found to be an important factor influencing most sensory attributes. The by-products were the materials with the highest levels of all bioactive compounds. Considering all quality parameters evaluated, the chemometric evaluation confirms the suitability of 75% ripe strawberries for processing into functional juice, which could be important for the juice industry.

Highlights

IntroductionStrawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) are a very popular fruit among consumers, either as fresh produce for consumption or for processing, e.g., into juices
Most phenolic compounds are contained in the achenes and the receptacles of strawberry fruits, and when strawberry fruits are processed into juice, the phenolic compounds remain bound to the cell wall material
The mass of strawberry fruits without calyces was 23% higher in the fully ripe samples than in their less ripe counterparts, while it remained constant during 4 days of storage

Summary

Introduction

Strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) are a very popular fruit among consumers, either as fresh produce for consumption or for processing, e.g., into juices. This raw material is well-aligned with the growing demand for functional foods in the market as consumers increasingly choose products of exceptional quality with added value [1]. The by-product of the strawberry that remains after the fruit is processed into juice has been found to be an excellent source of bioactive compounds with potent antioxidant potential [4,5]. When the strawberry fruit is processed into juice, there is a significant loss of phenolic compounds [6,7]. Most phenolic compounds are contained in the achenes and the receptacles of strawberry fruits, and when strawberry fruits are processed into juice, the phenolic compounds remain bound to the cell wall material

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