The main chemical composition, contents of total phenolic (TPh), total flavonoid (TF), and total monomeric anthocyianin (TMA), as well as the antioxidant activity of two raspberry cultivars (Meeker and Willamette), two blackberry cultivars (Čačanska bestrna and Thornfree) and wild bilberry were studied. The raspberry cultivars had the highest total solids among fruits investigated. Bilberry fruits had the highest sugar-to-acid ratio. Blackberry fruits were richer in crude fibers (cellulose) in comparison to raspberry and bilberry fruits. The content of pectic substances was highest in the bilberry. Also, bilberry had a highest content of TPh (808.12 mg GAE/100 g FW), TF (716.31 mg RE/100 g FW) and TMA (447.83 mg CGE/100 g FW). The antioxidant activity was evaluated spectrophotometrically, using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity assay. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity, expressed as the EC50 value (in mg of fresh weight of berry fruit per ml of the reaction mixture), of bilberry (0.3157 ± 0.0145 mg/ml) was the highest. These results also showed that the antioxidant value of 100 g FW bilberry, raspberry - Willamette, raspberry - Meeker, blackberry - Čačanska bestrna and blackberry - Thornfree is equivalent to 576.50 mg, 282.74 mg, 191.58 mg, 222.28 mg and 272.01 mg of vitamin C, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between the antioxidant activities and content of total phenolics (RTPh 2=0.9627), flavonoids (RTF 2=0.9598) and anthocyanins (RTMA 2=0.9496) in berry fruits. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31044

Four berry (bilberry, blackberry, strawberry and raspberry) fruits pomace, a waste product coming from juice production, were extracted with 80% methanol containing 0.05% acetic acid. The highest content of antioxidant components, total polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins, was found in the bilberry pomace extract (1116.24, 1047.39 and 1279.49 mg/100g fresh pomace, respectively). The antioxidant activity of the four berry pomace extracts (BPE) was determined using DPPH free radical scavenging assay and reducing power. There was a high linear correlation between the IC50 and content of anthocyanins (r2=0.98) and polyphenols (r2=0.85). Also, a good correlation was found between the IC50 and the content of flavonoids. The strawberry pomace extract showed the highest (RP0.5=0.35 mg/ml), while the blackberry pomace extract showed the lowest (RP0.5=0.57 mg/ml) reducing power. The results showed that BPE can be a valuable source of natural ingrediences of the products in the food, cosmetical and pharmaceutical industry

Mandarin peel, a waste product coming from juice production, was extracted by conventional extraction with 70% acetone. Content of flavonoids in mandarin peel extract (MPE) was determined by HPLC. Hesperidin was the most dominant flavonoid. Free radical scavenging activity of MPE on stable DPPH radicals and reactive hydroxyl radicals was also evaluated. EC50 value determined in spectrophotometrical DPPH radical assay was 0.179 mg/ml, while this value in ESR spin trapping hydroxyl radical assay was 0.415 mg/ml. Also, MPE showed protective effects in stabilising sunflower oil during accelerated storage. The results indicated that mandarin peel can be a valuable source of natural antioxidants

Kombucha is a beverage traditionally produced by metabolic activity of yeasts and acetic acid bacteria. The antimicrobial activity of lemon balm kombucha as well as of particular control samples was determined by agar-well diffusion method. Antioxidant activity on stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals of lemon balm kombucha and lemon balm tea was determined by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Acetic acid, Kombucha samples and heat-denaturated kombucha showed significant antimicrobial activity against bacteria. However, there was no activity against yeasts and moulds. Kombucha showed higher antioxidant activity than tea sample for all applied sample volumes

The methanol, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water extracts were obtained by extraction of marigold flower (Calendula officinalis L). The content of total phenolic compounds, determined by UV spectrophotometric method using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, was 15.12 mg/g. The content of total flavonoids, determined by UV spectrophotometric method according to Markham, was 5.13 mg/g. Qualitative determination of phenolic compounds in the extracts was performed by one- and two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography (TLC) procedures. The results of one- and two-dimensional TLC analyses showed that different flavonoids and phenolic acids were present in the investigated extracts. The greatest number of flavonoids (rutin, quercetin and some unidentified flavonoid glycosides) and phenolic acids (chlorogenic, caffeic, coumaric and vanillic acid) were deteminated in methanol extract. The influence of marigold extracts, in concentration range 0.6-1.2 mg/mL, on 2,2’-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals was investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. All extracts showed scavenging activity (SA) in the following order: ethyl acetate > n-butanol > methanol > water > chloroform > petroleum ether. The SA increased with increasing concentration of extracts. The ethyl acetate and n-butanol extracts exibited the most significant SA. These extracts in concentration of 1.2 mg/mL eliminated completely DPPH radicals. The lowest SA had chloroform and petroleum ether extracts (in concentration of 0.6 mg/mL SA=0%). The SA of marigold extracts is attributed to its hydrogen-donating ability and scavenging effect