[Chemical composition of blueberries in Arctic regions of Yakutia]

Wild berries are a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants in the human diet. One of the most widespread and useful wild berries growing in Yakutia is blueberry. Its exploitable reserves in the republic amount to about 22 thousand tons annually. The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition of blueberries growing in the Arctic regions of Yakutia. Material and methods. The material for the study were berries of blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum L.), collected at technical ripeness in 2022 in three Arctic regions (uluses) of Yakutia (Anabarsky, Bulunsky, Momsky), significantly differing in soil and climatic conditions. Organoleptic evaluation of berries was carried out on the day of collection after sampling. After collection, berries were stored at -28 °C until analysis, defrosted in a refrigerator at a temperature =<5 °C for 3 h. The studies were carried out in an average sample (from 10 samples in 3-fold repetition). Dry matter was determined by drying in a desiccator at a temperature of 105 °C to constant weight. Studies of the chemical composition of berries were carried out by infrared spectroscopy. Results. In berries grown in the cooler Anabarsky and Bulunsky districts, in comparison with berries collected from the territory of the Momsky district, a significant pattern of an increase in the content of dry matter by 0.6-1.0%, protein by 0.29-0.31%, fat by 0.10-0.11%, and total sugars by 1.4-1.6% was observed, which was reflected in a higher calorie value. The content of vitamin C and iron in berries grown in the Anabarsky and Bulunsky districts was 17.2-20.9% higher than in berries grown in the Momsky district. A 100 g portion of freshly frozen blueberries grown in the Arctic regions of Yakutia satisfies the daily requirement of an adult in vitamin C by 25.0-29.7%, in B vitamins, potassium, calcium and magnesium - by 2-4%, in iron - by 13.3-28.9%. Conclusion. New data on the chemical composition of Vaccinium uliginosum subsp. microphyllum L. berries from the Arctic regions of Yakutia have been obtained. The higher content of vitamin C, potassium, calcium and iron in the blueberry growing in the Arctic zone of Yakutia compared to the berries of the western and central regions of the republic was noted.