Berry phenolics and their antioxidant activity

Phenolic profiles of a total of 26 berry samples, together with 2 apple sam ples, were analyzed without hydrolysis of glycosides with HPLC. The phenoli c contents among different berry genera varied considerably. Anthocyanins w ere the main phenolic constituents in bilberry, bog-whortleberry, and cranb erry, but in cowberries, belonging also to the family Ericaceae genus Vacci nium, flavanols and procyanidins predominated. In the family Rosaceae genus Rubus (cloudberry and red raspberry), the main phenolics found were ellagi tannins, and in genus Fragaria (strawberry), ellagitannins were the second largest group after anthocyanins. However, phenolic acids were dominant in rowanberries (genus Sorbus) and anthocyanins in chokeberry (genus Aronia). In the family Grossulariaceae genus Ribes (currants and gooseberry), anthoc yanins predominated, as well as in crowberries (family Empetraceae genus Em petrum). In apples, hydroxycinnamic acids were the main phenolic subgroup. Extraction methods for berries and apples were studied to produce phenolic extracts with high antioxidant activity. Evaluation of antioxidant activity was performed by autoxidazing methyl linoleate (40 degreesC, in the dark). The extraction method affected remarkably both the phenolic composition an d the antioxidant activity, but with statistical analysis the observed acti vity could not be well explained with the contents of individual phenolic s ubgroups.