Application of and correlation among antioxidant and antiradical assays for characterizing antioxidant capacity of berries

Various antioxidant assays are used to characterize fruits consumed fresh or processed although an easy, reliable and cheap assay is not available to follow the changes in antioxidant power. This study tested the applicability of a recently developed antioxidant measuring system, Water-soluble (ACW) and Lipid-soluble (ACL) Antioxidant Capacity, using the PHOTOCHEM^® instrument. Initially, 13 cultivars of 4 berry species were assayed with Photochem and compared with widely used methods based on single electron transfer reactions like ferric reducing ability of plasma, total polyphenolic content (TPC) and 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging capacity. Assays based on hydrogen atom transfer reactions were also carried out including total radical-scavenger capacity (TRSC). The correlations among the results were all significant at P ≤ 0.05, except the one between TPC and ACW. The overall antioxidant capacity ranked on the order of strawberry < red currant < raspberry < black currant. However, significant differences could have been detected among genotypes and antioxidants assays used for the analysis. The Photochem instrument is not suitable for easy, cheap and high-throughput routine analysis of berry antioxidant capacity and hence is not preferable to other assays.     

Influence of humic acid and salicylic acid on yield,fruit quality,and leaf mineral elements of strawberry (Fragaria × Ananassa duch.) cv. Camarosa

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of foliarly-applied Humic Acid (HA) and Salicylic Acid (SA) on strawberry (Fragaria × Ananassa cv. Camarosa). On average, HA applications, regardless of concentration, increased overall yield, Soluble Solids Concentrations (SSC), Titratable Acidity (TA), vitamin C, red tone (a*), leaf potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) while had no effect on pH and fruit luminosity (L*). In contrast, fruit from the untreated control tended to have higher Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) and SSC: TA ratio than HA-treated plants. Application of SA significantly increased yield, vitamin C, SSC, SSC: TA ratio, TAC, a*, leaf P and Ca while had no effect on TA, fruit size, L* and pH. In general, application of either HA at 25 mg L¹ or SA at 2 mM resulted in better strawberry performance than did other rates of these compounds.     

延边地区浆果产业发展现状·问题及建议

在介绍国内外浆果产业发展概况的基础上,结合延边地区的独特自然条件,分析了延边地区浆果产业发展现状。针对延边地区浆果产业存在的问题,提出了延边地区浆果产业发展建议:一是扩大鲜食葡萄栽培面积;二是增加设施葡萄栽培面积;三是利用地区优势大力发展酿酒葡萄产业;五是发展浆果加工产业,并建设储藏库;六是走产学研相结合的道路,提高浆果产业的科技投入。     

Phenolic Content and Radical Scavenging Capacity of Berries and Related Jams from Certificated Area in Serbia

Chemical composition and the effects of domestic processing and storage were studied in organically cultivated or wild growing berries, harvested in certificated area in Serbia. The total phenolics content in fresh berries ranged from 380 to 1660 mg GAE/100 g. The phenolic content decreased during the processing to jams, and storage in almost all samples, except in black currant. Among fresh berries, the highest amount of total anthocyanins was found in bilberry (0.61 ± 0.03 %). Processing and storage caused decrease in anthocyanin content. The most ubiquitous anthocyanin aglycone was found to be cyanidin. Ellagic acid was detected in fresh and frozen black raspberries and related jams, and its content increases during thermal processing to jam. Among fresh berries, bilberry showed the strongest DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC₅₀ value of 0.82 mg/ml. However, frozen as well as processed berries in our study still showed comparable high values of radical scavenging activity. After 9 months of storage all investigated jams were microbiologicaly correct. Regardless of the losses in the amount of total phenolics, total anthocyanins and radical scavenging activity, frozen berries and related jams are still excellent sources of nutritional substances with antioxidant potential.     

The Picking of Wild Berries in Finland in 1997 and 1998

Nation-wide figures related to berry-picking in Finland were based on postal questionnaire surveys carried out in 1997 and 1998. The sample in 1997 consisted of 6849 households and the response rate was 60%. The questionnaire was concerned with the utilization of all non-wood forest products. In 1998, a subsample of 1858 households was taken and the new questionnaire focused solely on berries and mushrooms. The response rate was 69%. In 1997, Finnish households picked 56.5 million kg of wild berries (95% confidence limits were 52.3 and 60.4 million kg). In 1998, a total of 49.7 million kg (44.0, 55.3) was picked. In 1997 the proportion of products sold was 27%, harvested by 5% of households. It is possible that the quantity of wild berries picked in 1997 was higher than in any year previously, but because of a lack of reliable earlier data this cannot be verified.