title: Do optimally ripe blackberries contain the highest levels of metabolites?
abstract: Five blackberry cultivars were selected for the study ('Chester Thornless', 'Cacanska Bestrna', 'Loch Ness', 'Smoothstem' and 'Thornfree') and harvested at three different maturity stages (under-, optimal- and over-ripe). Optimally ripe and over-ripe blackberries contained significantly higher levels of total sugars compared to under-ripe fruit. 'Loch Ness' cultivar was characterized by 2.2-2.6-fold higher levels of total sugars than other cultivars and consequently, the highest sugar/acids ratio. 'Chester Thornless' stands out as the cultivar with the highest level of vitamin C in under-ripe (125.87mgkg(-1)) and optimally mature fruit (127.66mgkg(-1)). Maturity stage significantly affected the accumulation of phenolic compounds. The content of total anthocyanins increased for 43% at optimal maturity stage and cinnamic acid derivatives for 57% compared to under-ripe fruit. Over-ripe blackberries were distinguished by the highest content of total phenolics (1251-2115mg GAE kg(-1) FW) and greatest FRAP values (25.9-43.2mM TE kg(-1) FW).
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Agronomy, University of Ljubljana, Chair for Fruit, Vine and Vegetable Growing, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: maja.mikulic-petkovsek@bf.uni-lj.si.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mikulic-Petkovsek
authors.affiliation: Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Darinka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koron
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Agronomy, University of Ljubljana, Chair for Fruit, Vine and Vegetable Growing, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Zala
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zorenc
authors.affiliation: Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Agronomy, University of Ljubljana, Chair for Fruit, Vine and Vegetable Growing, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veberic
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D065856:Rubus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols
keywords: Acids; Antioxidant activity; Blackberry fruits; Color parameters; Fruit quality; Maturity stages; Phenolic compounds; Sugars