Abstract
Blackberry pomace represents a valuable but underused byproduct of juice manufacturing. Its further applicability in various food systems is facilitated by detailed knowledge of its own bioactive potential. This study was focused on the investigation of the polyphenolic compound profile, total phenolic and ascorbic acid content, as well as 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity of blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.) coming from spontaneous flora of two different areas of Romania, Paltinis (Sibiu County) and Zugau (Arad County) and their fractions, juice and pomace, resulting from home-scale processing. To ensure a satisfactory shelf life, the blackberry pomace was subjected to convective drying (60 °C for 12 hours) and the impact of this treatment on the antioxidant properties was evaluated. No significant differences in the investigated characteristics according to the place of origin were recorded. However, a slight increase in the antioxidant properties of fruits and fractions from the Zugau region, characterized by higher temperatures and a lower precipitation regime, was noticed compared with samples derived from the Paltinis area. The drying of blackberry byproducts led to losses of 10–23% in the content of the investigated bioactive compounds and DPPH radical scavenging activity. A significant correlation between DPPH radical scavenging activity and the total phenolic content has been recorded. Our findings are of interest in blackberry selection to enhance the level of bioactive compounds in the targeted products. The obtained results confirm that the blackberry processing byproducts may be regarded as a promising source of high-quality bioactive compounds and a proven radical scavenging capacity, representing a starting point for further analyses. This study responds to a global issue regarding fruit byproduct management in order to ensure the sustainable development of a circular economy.
Highlights
In the last few years, the interest of science in wild forest fruits, such as blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.), has considerably increased due to their high amounts of bioactive compounds [1,2]
In the light of the abovementioned considerations, the purpose of this study is to address two important practical issues: (1) to assess the bioactive compounds in terms of total phenolic and ascorbic acid content, polyphenolic compound profile and the antioxidant activity expressed as the DPPH radical scavenging activity of blackberries coming from the spontaneous flora of two different areas of Romania and their fractions, juice and pomace, resulting from small-scale blackberry processing; (2) to investigate the influence of blackberry processing byproduct conditioning by convective drying at a moderate temperature of 60 ◦C for 12 hours on the antioxidant properties
Results are expressed as the average value of three independent analyses ± standard deviation (SD)
Summary
In the last few years, the interest of science in wild forest fruits, such as blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.), has considerably increased due to their high amounts of bioactive compounds [1,2]. Wild fruits exhibit antioxidant properties as a result of their high amount of phenolic compounds, which include phenolic acids and flavonoids such as flavonols, flavanols, flavonones, flavones and anthocyanins. Huge amounts of blackberry pomace are generated from agro-food processing procedures, with this vegetable waste representing an important source of antioxidants and others natural bioactive compounds with human health benefits [6,7,8,9]. The waste from berry juice processing, commonly called pomace, contain high amounts of dietary fiber as well as bioactive compounds with recognized health-promoting effects [10]. After berry processing to obtain juice, the peels and seeds remain in the pomace and the fractions of bioactive compounds that are associated with cell wall constituents [7]
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