Total Carotenoid, Flavonoid and Phenolic Compounds Concentration in Willowleaf Cotoneaster (<i>Cotoneaster Salicifolius</i> Franch.) Fruits

Abstract Willofleaf cotoneaster ( Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.) is a low, prostrate shrub, grown in Romania as an ornamental plant. Its fruits are small, ovoid pomes. Fruit tissues were analyzed for total carotenoid content (through acetone extraction and spectrophotometry), flavonoid (methanol spectrophotometry) concentration of phenolic polyphenolic compounds spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocâlteu method). C. contained average 311.50 mg/kg DW carotenoids (heat-dried – only 100.25 mg/kg). Average was 9,777.62 fresh frozen 4,574 dried ones. 25,056.09 GAE the phenolics fruits, while dry fruit powder 5,271 GAE. These concentrations bioactive comparable, or even have higher than pomes belonging to related species, including domestic cultivars rowanberry Sorbus sp.), wild firethorns Pyracantha other studied cotoneasters. This shows significant potential these pomes, requiring further investigation. However, heat-drying found be unsuitable processing method since it led 53.22-78.94% decrease concentrations.