Improvement of Analytical Methods for the Determination of Polyphenolic Bioactive Compounds in Berry Fruits

Berry fruits contain high levels of different phytochemicals, most of which are phenolic molecules. Fruits of the same cultivarfrom different locations and different harvest years have different chemical compositions, particularly related to polyphenols. Thedifference may be due to specific climatic conditions, the type of soil in which the plants grow, and the stresses to which the plantswere subjected because these phytochemicals are produced as a defensemechanismthrough a secondarymetabolic process. For thisreason, it is important to establish simple and reliable procedure to determine polyphenolic compounds in berry fruits consideringthe increasing attention on these compounds for different potential uses. In order to choose and to improve the most adequateanalytical procedure for the determination of the polyphenolic substances in berry fruits, different methods were applied andcompared on samples of elderberry and blackberry