Summary Profiling and quantitative analysis of anthocyanins in five elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) varieties, namely ‘Haschberg’, ‘Samocco’, ‘Samyl’, ‘Samident’ and ‘Sampo’, were performed in six different maturity stages from two consecutive years (2012 and 2013) and from two growing areas in Hungary. Cyanidin‐3‐O‐sambubioside‐5‐O‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐O‐sambubioside and cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside were found and identified by HPLC‐Q/TOF‐MS as major anthocyanins and were quantified by HPLC‐UV/Vis. In optimum maturity stage, ‘Samocco’ showed the highest anthocyanin content with an average of 1237 mg per 100 g dry weight in both growing areas and vintages. The dominant anthocyanin component of Samocco variety was cyanidin‐3‐O‐sambubioside, which is according to literature more stable against technology processing than cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside found in the other four investigated elderberry varieties in the highest concentration. ‘Samocco’, if grown under the climatic conditions of the Carpathian basin, might be a promising alternative variety for growing as raw material for natural food colourant processing industry.

Sea buckthorn (SBT) fruit is rich in biologically active compounds. It has considerable health benefits, thus it can serve as functional food ingredient. The aim of this study was to comprehensively characterize the fruit quality traits of three SBT cultivars ('Leikora', 'Askola', 'Orangeveja') grown in Hungary by determining their physicochemical (refraction, titratable acid content, sugar/acid ratio, carbohydrate profile) and antioxidant parameters (by spectrophotometric methods: FRAP, DPPH, and by HPLC method: β-carotene content, phenolic compounds). The statistical analysis was made by SPSS 14.0. Univariate analyses were made to separate the homogenous groups using the Duncan test. Significant differences were shown in the refraction of the cultivars (5.6-7.9 °Brix) and in their titratable acid content (2.35-3.07%), but no statistically significant difference has been found in the sugar/acid ratio (2.41-2.57). Glucose (9.56-12.9 mg L-1) was the main carbohydrate component of the studied cultivars. In addition to that, we detected fructose (1.39-5.4 mg L-1) and mannitol (1.77-9.24 mg L-1). The antioxidant state of the studied cultivars could be well-characterized by their TPC (186-381 mg GAS 100 g-1), DPPH (60.37-79.1 µg Trolox L-1), FRAP (3335-4887 µg AA mL-1) and by their β-carotene content (0.37-0.92 mg mL-1); however no significant correlation was found among these antioxidant parameters. We determined the content of quercetin derivatives in the fruits of the SBT genotypes, such as the rutin (22.12-27.52 mg 100 g-1), quercitrin glucoside (50.19-57.72 mg 100 g-1), quercetin dihydrate (5.11-6.45 mg 100 g-1), quercitrin hydrate (1.59-3.34 mg 100 g-1) content, cinnamic acid (78.18-88.93 µg 100 g-1) and epicatechin (456.73-488.05 mg 100 g-1). We concluded that the antioxidant properties are defined by both the genotype and by the climatic and growing conditions. The fruits of the cultivars 'Leikora' and 'Orangeveja' can be used as raw material of functional food products, according to their fruit quality traits.

Elderberry concentrate is widely used for food colouring. Its production includes several processing steps, which influence pigment composition, thus affecting the quality of final product. In this study, qualitative and quantitative changes in anthocyanin components were followed during the production of elderberry juice concentrate using Haschberg and Samocco varieties. Juice concentration resulted in more than fivefold concentration increase in anthocyanins; however, clarification, filtration and evaporation steps caused slight but continuous decrease in anthocyanins relative to the dry matter of the product. Pectolytic enzymatic treatment was found to be one of the most critical processing steps that affects anthocyanin yield during production, and this effect on yield can be variety-dependent. Additionally, two condensed dimeric anthocyanin species generated after heat treatment are reported for the first time to be present in elderberry juice concentrate. Our results suggest that cyanidin-based anthocyanin conjugates with more complex saccharide moieties are more robust during production.

The beetroot is typically on the table in winter in form of pickles or juice, but for its nutritional values it would deserve more common consumption. Its curative effect in great part is due to the several vitamins, minerals, and compounds with antioxidant activity. But the division of biological active compounds is very different in the parts of the root. Based on our results, we could compare the differences between the morphology and some inner contents (soluble solid content, colour, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and some fl avonoids) of two beetroot cultivars. The results of the morphological investigations showed that the 'Cylindre' cultivar had more favourable crop parameters than the 'Alto F1' cultivar. In the 'Cylindre' cultivar the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity were signifi cantly higher than in the 'Alto F1' cultivar. By determination of the betanin contents of the investigated beetroots, our results showed both betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were higher in the 'Cylindre' cultivar. The chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, the cumaric acid have been identifi ed based on the peaks of HPLC in the studied beetroot cultivars.Keywords: beetroot, antioxidant capacity, polyphenol content, betacyanin, betaxanthin, fl avonoidsThe beetroot is native to the Mediterranean area and ancestor of the wild form of Beta vulgaris L. var. maritime. The Greeks and Romans knew and cultivated and consumed the beetroot in the 2 nd -3 nd centuries. It became known in Hungary in the 17 th . century. The beetroot is one of the ten most powerful vegetables regarding antioxidant capacity. The polyphenol content for the total dry matter is 50-60 mol g -1 (VINSON et al., 1998;KAHKONEN et al., 1999).Its curative effect in great part is due to the numerous vitamins (C-, B vitamins, folic acid and beta carotenes among others) and high mineral content (iron, copper, magnesium, and calcium). BERRADA and co-workers (2007) have determined the K, Cl, P, Mg, and Na contents in natural red beet by 14 MeV neutron activation analysis.KUJALA and his colleagues determined that the total phenol content of beetroot is decreasing towards the inside of the beet body. Fifty percent of the total phenol content is in the peel, 37% is in the crown, and 13% is in the body. Betalain content of the crown is 32% and of the root is 14% (KUJALA et al., 2000). The valuable colour contents of the beetroot are nitrogen-containing, water-soluble pigments, these are the betalains. These can be divided into two main groups; the red betacyanins and the yellow betaxanthins. The major betacyanin pigment in the beetroot is betanin, which is a betanidin-5-O-β-glucoside. The betanidin is the aglycolic form of the betanin. The major betaxanthin is the vulgaxanthin in the red beet (KUGLER et al., 2007). The beetroot also contains anthocyanins, which are responsible for the * To whom correspondence should be addressed. Phone: +36-1-482-6035, fax: +36-1-482-6327, e-mail: dora.szekely@uni-corvinus.hu SZÉKELY et al.: D...

Abstract. In compliance with consumer expectations, careful processing and preservation are increasingly used with fruits and vegetables. The aim is that during these treatments the valuable nutritional characteristics of the raw materials change as little as possible. Drying has been used for the preservation of raw materials for a long time, which can distinguish two different groups based upon pressure. These are the atmospheric and the more careful vacuum drying.During the research, Alto F1 beetroots were being dried in vacuum and under atmospheric pressure at different temperatures. Vacuum drying took place at 40, 50, and 60• C, while atmospheric drying at 60, 70, and 80• C. All drying processes lasted 150 minutes. During drying, changes of moisture content and water activity were monitored. After drying, colour measurement was realized and the inner parameters were investigated, such as polyphenol, betalain, and antioxidant capacity. These measured parameters were compared in the case of atmospheric and vacuum drying.