Antioxidant capacity, phenol, anthocyanin and ascorbic acid contents in raspberries, blackberries, red currants, gooseberries and cornelian cherries

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), blackberry (Rubus fructicosus), raspberry × blackberry hybrids, red currant (Ribes sativum), gooseberry (Ribes glossularia) and Cornelian cherry (Cormus mas) cultivars and native populations of varied pigmentation, originally from the Mediterranean area of Northern Greece, were assayed for antioxidant activity (determined as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and deoxyribose protection), ascorbic acid, phenol, and anthocyanin contents. FRAP values ranged from 41 to 149 μmol ascorbic acid g−1 dry weight and protection of deoxyribose ranged from 16.1% up to 98.9%. Anthocyanin content ranged from 1.3, in yellow-coloured fruit, up to 223 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalents 100 g−1 fresh weight in Cornelian cherry, whereas phenol content ranged from 657 up to 2611 mg gallic acid equivalents 100 g−1dry weight. Ascorbic acid content ranged from 14 up to 103 mg 100 g−1 fresh weight. The present study outlines that the native Cornelian cherry population is an extremely rich source of antioxidants, demonstrating its potential use as a food additive.