Phenolic Acid Profiles in Some Small Berries

Abstract

The composition of phenolic acids in several small berries grown in Northeastern Poland, namely, low-bush blueberries, black mulberries, European juneberries, black currants, fruits of blue-berried honeysuckle, and blackberries, was determined by gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The total content of phenolic acids, identified by GC-MS, ranged from 2845.8 ± 141.0 (black mulberries) to 5418.2 ± 228.0 (blue-berried honeysuckle). Twenty phenolic acids were identified in the berries. Of these, hydroxycaffeic, m- and p- coumaric, and 3,4-dimethoxycinnamic acids were the major phenolic acids in blackberries and blueberries, m -coumaric acid was the major phenolic acid in blue-berried honeysuckle and black currant fruits, while salicylic, caffeic, and m- and p- coumaric acids were the predominant phenolic acids in European juneberries. Syringic and veratric acids were detected only in blueberries, while p -hydroxybenzoic and sinapic acids were present only in black currants and o -coumaric acid was present in blueberries and black mulberries. The phenolic acids liberated from esters and glycosidic bonds were the major fractions of phenolic acids in the berries. Keywords: Phenolics acids; low-bush blueberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus ); black mulberry ( Morus nigra ); blue-berried honeysuckle ( Lonicera caerulea ); black currant ( Ribes nigrum ); blackberry ( Rubus plicatus ); European juneberry ( Amelanchier ovalis )