Bog bilberry phenolics, antioxidant capacity and nutrient profile

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Phytochemistry

Background:

• Bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum L.) is a high-mountain berry with potential health benefits.
• Its nutritional and phenolic composition remains largely uncharacterized, especially from Anatolian regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively analyze the phenolics and nutrient profiles of bog bilberry from northeast Anatolia.
• To evaluate the antioxidant capacity of different berry fractions.

Main Methods:

• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for identifying and quantifying phenolic acids and anthocyanins.
• Spectrophotometric methods (FRAP, ORAC, DPPH) were employed to assess antioxidant capacity.
• Soluble sugars and organic acids were also analyzed.

Main Results:

• Fructose and glucose were the major soluble sugars; citric and malic acids were the predominant organic acids.
• Eleven phenolic acids and 17 anthocyanin 3-glycosides were identified, with caffeic and syringic acids being major phenolics.
• Malvidin 3-glucoside was the most abundant anthocyanin (24%).
• The anthocyanin fraction exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, followed by polyphenolic and aqueous fractions.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first detailed phenolic and nutrient profile of Anatolian bog bilberry.
• The high antioxidant capacity, particularly in the anthocyanin fraction, highlights its potential health benefits.
• Findings facilitate comparisons with other Vaccinium species and inform potential applications.