Antioxidant Activity and Polyphenols of Aronia in Comparison to other Berry Species

Total polyphenols, total anthocyanins and antioxidant activity of various berries: [aronia (Aronia melanocarpa), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), and strawberry (Fragaria anannassa)] have been evaluated in this study by using Folin-Ciocalteau, pH-diff erential, and DPPH method. Amount of anthocyanins ranged from 232 to 4341 mg kg-1 in strawberry and aronia, respectively. Total polyphenol content varied from 1005 mg kg-1 in strawberry to 10637 mg kg-1 in aronia. Aronia contains the highest amounts of polyphenols and anthocyanins among the berries studied. It shows the highest antioxidant activity, as well. Th erefore, individual polyphenolic compounds of aronia were studied further in more details. Th e amount of fl avonols (quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol) and anthocyanins in aronia was determined by using HPLC method. Anthocyanins found in aronia were derivatives of cyanidin of which the most abundant were cyanidin-3galactoside (68.9%) and cyanidin-3-arabinoside (24.5%). Quercetin was the main fl avonol, with 93.07 % in total fl avonol amount. Th e level of kaempferol was low (6.93%) while myricetin was not identifi ed.