Environ Exp Biol (2015) 13: 147–158

Polyphenols, carbohydrates and lipids in berries of Vaccinium species

Abstract

Wild berries commonly found in the forests and bogs of Latvia are an excellent source of natural antioxidants, vitamins and fatty acids, all of which are substances with high biological activity. The aim of this study was to determine radical scavenging potential and total polyphenol, carbohydrate and flavonoid concentrations in polar solvents extracts, and also to conduct gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of lipid fraction composition in six types of berries of the Ericaceae family, genus Vaccinium (blueberry, bilberry, two cultivars of highbush blueberry, lingonberry and cranberry). Polarity of extrahents and procedure of extraction influenced the yield of biologically active substances in extracts. Polyphenol, flavonoid and carbohydrate extraction yields were optimised. In the berries analysed, 111 lipid compounds were identified and quantified. The lipid fraction contained compound classes like fatty acids, sterols, triterpenoids, alkanes, phenolic and carboxylic acids as well as carotenoids. All of the fresh berries studied contained high amounts of C18 unsaturated fatty acids (for example, up to 102 µg g^–1 in blueberries) and phytosterols (86 µg g^–1 of β-sitosterol in blueberries). High amounts of benzoic acid were found in lingonberry (164 µg g^–1).