Analysis of Selected Properties of Fruits of Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) from Organic and Conventional Cultivation

The Effect of Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) on Human Inflammation Biomarkers and Antioxidant Enzymes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

CONTEXT

Consuming antioxidant-rich foods has been associated with potential benefits in managing chronic diseases by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of Aronia melanocarpa (aronia berry or chokeberry) on human inflammation biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science, to identify relevant studies investigating the potential effects of aronia on human inflammation biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes between April 2022 and November 2023.

DATA EXTRACTION

The selection of studies followed the PRISMA guidelines, data screening was conducted by 4 independent reviewers, and data extraction and risk-of-bias assessments were performed by 2 independent reviewers using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool.

DATA ANALYSIS

A total of 1986 studies were screened, and 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in a systematic review that investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of aronia on various health parameters. These studies primarily focused on the effects of aronia on cardiometabolic diseases, performance in sport, and other health parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

This study examined the effects of Aronia intervention on human health outcomes using aronia juice, extract, or oven-dried powder for a period of 4 to 13 weeks. The primary health parameters considered were C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). The results showed that aronia had a beneficial effect on several inflammatory cytokines, including reductions in CRP, TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations, as well as elevated IL-10 levels. Moreover, positive changes have been observed in antioxidant enzyme systems, including; elevated SOD, GSH-Px and CAT activity. The findings of the presented studies provide evidence that Aronia melanocarpa may have beneficial effects on inflammatory markers.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022325633.

Effect of dipping pre-treatments and drying methods on Aronia melanocarpa quality

This study examined the impact of different dipping pre-treatments (PO: potassium carbonate-olive oil emulsion, HW: hot water) and drying methods (sun, oven, hot air, and freeze) on aronia berry quality. Freeze-drying showed the highest process yield (29.07%-29.43%), while sun-drying had the lowest (24.60%-25.74%). PO pre-treatment showed superior moisture and water activity reductions across all drying methods. Notably, it enhanced carotenoid levels (PO: 399.5, HW: 371.4 mg BCE/kg), antioxidant activity (PO: 9602.8, HW: 9403.3 mg TE/kg), total phenolics (PO: 38176.5, HW: 34804.0 mg GAE/kg) and flavonoids (PO: 6537.1, HW: 6141.5 mg CE/kg) during freeze-drying. Additionally, PO-treated samples exhibited superior rehydration properties, with a ratio of 293.32% and a 1.01 g/g capacity. On the other hand, HW pre-treatment increased ascorbic acid levels (PO: 377.0, HW: 391.7 mg/kg). The highest quality dried aronia berries are generally observed in PO-treated samples, especially in freeze drying, followed by hot-air, oven, and sun drying processes.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Emerging Maceration Techniques for Enhancing Bioactive Compounds in Aronia Juice

Ultrasound and microwave maceration techniques have been utilised to lower production costs and reduce processing time, while also preventing the degradation of nutrients like phenolics and vitamin C and preserving physical properties such as colour and viscosity. In this study, the effects of several traditional (cold, enzymatic, and thermal) and innovative (ultrasonic and microwave) maceration methods on some quality parameters of aronia juice were investigated. Microwave maceration significantly impacted the soluble solids content of the analysed juices and resulted in noticeably darker juice samples compared to the controls, with lower L*/lightness (20.1) and b*/blue-yellowness (-3.2) values and an increased a*/redness value (1.7). Different maceration methods also significantly impacted the rheological properties of the treated juices, among which MW treatment consistently showed a higher viscosity. Sorbitol and fructose were the main sugars identified, while malic acid and quinic acid accounted for 85% of the total acid content. Significant increases in the total sugar and acid concentrations were obtained in the juice samples from ultrasonic, microwave, and enzymatic maceration, while thermomaceration had no significant effect. The concentration of total phenolics ranged from 6.45 g/L in the thermomaceration samples to 9.86 and 14.07 g/L in the ultrasonic and microwave samples, respectively. The obtained results suggest that ultrasonic and microwave technologies were superior in terms of colour improvement and the extraction of sugars, acids, and phenolic compounds compared to traditional maceration methods. Ultrasound and microwave technologies present possible approaches to the improvement of aronia juice production in comparison to traditional methods.

Physicochemical, Textural, and Antioxidant Attributes of Yogurts Supplemented with Black Chokeberry: Fruit, Juice, and Pomace

The fruit, juice, and pomace of black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are a rich source of phenolic compounds and can be used to obtain enriched dairy products. Chokeberry fruit, due to its astringent taste, is less favorable or even unacceptable to consumers and is usually processed into juice, resulting in large quantities of pomace, which is often discarded as waste. The aim of this study is to valorize chokeberry fruit, juice, and pomace by incorporating them in different percentages (1, 2, and 3%) into yogurt as functional ingredients. The physicochemical (total solids content, fat, protein, titratable acidity, pH, color), textural (hardness, adhesion, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness), antioxidant (DPPH scavenging activity and total phenolic content), and sensory characteristics of supplemented yogurts were investigated. The results showed that the addition of chokeberry pomace in yogurt increased their total solids content (from 11.46 ± 0.18% for the plain yogurt sample to 13.71 ± 0.18% for the yogurt sample with 3% chokeberry pomace), while the addition of fruit and juice decreased the protein content of the yogurt samples (from 4.35 ± 0.11% for the plain yogurt sample to 3.69 ± 0.15% for the yogurt sample with 3% chokeberry fruit and to 3.84 ± 0.1% for the yogurt sample with 3% chokeberry juice). There was no statistically significant change in the fat content of all samples of chokeberry-supplemented yogurt compared to plain yogurt. The pH of the yogurt samples decreased with the increase in the percentage of chokeberry fruit, juice, and pomace added to the yogurt (from 4.50 for the plain yogurt samples to 4.35, 4.30, and 4.20 for the yogurt samples supplemented with 1, 2, and 3% black chokeberry pomace). Inhibition of DPPH radical formation was higher in the yogurt samples with chokeberry fruit (57.84 ± 0.05%, 73.57 ± 0.11%, and 75.38 ± 0.05% inhibition for the samples with 1, 2, and 3% fruit) and pomace (up to 64.8 ± 0.11% inhibition for the sample with 3%), while total phenolic content decreased (from 392.14 ± 2.06 to 104.45 ± 2.63 µg/g) as follows: yogurt with chokeberry pomace > yogurt with chokeberry fruit > yogurt with chokeberry juice. The yogurt samples with the highest acceptance scores were the samples with 3% and 2% black chokeberry fruit, while the lowest acceptance score was obtained for the yogurt sample with 3% black chokeberry pomace. Chokeberry fruit, juice, and pomace can improve the physicochemical, textural, and antioxidant characteristics of yogurt, emphasizing that the antioxidant effect of yogurt could be substantially improved by the addition of chokeberry pomace due to its high phenolic content, while incorporation into yogurt is another way to valorize this by-product.

Antioxidant Properties of Chokeberry Products-Assessment of the Composition of Juices and Fibers

Chokeberry fruits are a rich source of bioactive ingredients and their beneficial effect on the body has been proven in the literature. They contain antioxidants such as polyphenols (anthocyanins, procyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonols and flavanols) but also other essential substances with health-promoting potential, such as vitamin C and elements. Providing the right amount of these ingredients is very important for maintaining health and preventing the effects of oxidative stress. The aim of the study was to assess the content of antioxidant elements (magnesium-Mg) and trace elements (copper-Cu, iron-Fe, manganese-Mn, selenium-Se and zinc-Zn), with the antioxidant potential being measured using the FRAP method, along with total anthocyanin, total flavonoid and total polyphenol content (TPC) in 25 chokeberry juices and 6 chokeberry fibers sourced from conventional and organic farming. All chokeberry juices and chokeberry fibers available on the Polish market at that time were ordered for testing. The studied juices came from concentrate (FC) and not from concentrate (NFC). Taking into account the mineral content, it was shown that both chokeberry juices and fibers contained the highest amount of Mg and the lowest amount of Se. The FRAP value was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in organic juices compared to conventional ones as well as being higher (p < 0.05) in NFC juices compared to FC juices. NFC juices were also characterized by their higher concentrations of TPC, total flavonoid and total anthocyanin levels (p < 0.05) compared to FC juices. Consumption of 100 g of chokeberry juice can cover from 149.5 to 3177.0% of the daily requirement for Cu, 6.8-32.4% for Mn, 2.8-6.1% for Mg, 0.9-7.4% for Se, 0.2-3.7% for Fe, 0.3-1.2% for Zn and 8.3-34.5% for vitamin C. In turn, the consumption of 10 g of fiber can cover 4.3-32.0% of the daily requirement for Fe, 0.6-9.0% for Se, 3.7-8.2% for Cu, 2.2-3.8% for Mg, 0.6-9.0% for Se, 0.9-8.5% for Zn and 0.5-0.7%% for vitamin C. Chokeberry products can be a valuable component of a healthy diet.

Quality and Nutritional Parameters of Food in Agri-Food Production Systems

Organic farming is a production system that avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic agricultural inputs such as pesticides, growth regulators, highly soluble mineral fertilisers, supplements, preservatives, flavouring, aromatic substances and genetically modified organisms, and their products. This system aims to maintain and increase soil fertility and quality, and relies on systems such as crop rotation, polyculture, intercropping, ecosystem management, covering crops, legumes, organic and bio-fertilisers, mechanical cultivation and biological control methods. The present review summarises and evaluates research comparing the quality of traditionally, organically and conventionally produced foods. In some cases, although the results of the studies contradict each other, organically grown in vegetables, especially berries and fruits are slightly higher dry matter, minerals such as P, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn, vitamin C, sugars, carotenoids, antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid compounds. In addition, their sensory properties are more pleasant. The nutritional content, quality and safety of organic foods are acceptable if the recent trends are reviewed, tested and verified. Therefore, the aim of this review is to compile, describe and update scientific evidence and data on the quality, safety, bioactive compounds and nutritional and phytochemical quality of foods in traditional and organic fruit, vegetable and cereal production systems.

Selected Properties of Juices from Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) Fruits Preserved Using the PEF Method

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) fruit and processed berries have very high biological value because they are a rich source of bioactive compounds. The method of black chokeberry juice preservation is of key importance. One of the more recent ways in which semiliquid and liquid products can be preserved is the pulsed electric field (PEF) method. The aim of our study was to compare chosen physical and chemical properties of fresh and PEF-preserved chokeberry fruit juices derived from farms located in the vicinity of Cracow (Kraków). The analysis focused on the physical properties and chemical composition of black chokeberry juices, their bioactive compound content, and antioxidant activity. After using the PEF method, there was an increase in dry weight, sugars, and polyphenols, which could be caused by the slight evaporation of water during the process. During this process, antioxidant activity decreased, and ultra-weak luminescence slightly increased. The process of preserving juices using the PEF method is a good way to preserve the bioactive properties of the obtained aronia juices.

Chokeberry (A. melanocarpa (Michx.) Elliott)—A Natural Product for Metabolic Disorders?

Abnormal metabolism of substances in the body can result in metabolic disorders which include obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, or cancer. Foods rich in antioxidants can help to prevent and treat various types of disorders. Chokeberry fruits are rich in polyphenols, especially cyanidins, and therefore, can show a beneficial health effect. The aim of this study was to summarize and systematize reports about the effects of chokeberry on various metabolic parameters. Studies from 2000 to 2021, published in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, were reviewed. The review of studies shows that chokeberry may have a positive effect in dyslipidemia and hypertension and may increase the body’s antioxidant defense mechanisms. The anti-inflammatory effect, in turn, may translate into a reduction in the risk of metabolic disorders over a longer period of use. Changes in glucose levels were reported by studies in which the intervention lasted more than 10 weeks in patients with carbohydrate metabolism disorders. The effects of protecting the liver, inhibiting platelet aggregation, lowering uric acid levels, and having a protective effect on the kidneys require additional confirmation in human clinical trials. Consumption of chokeberry fruit did not impact on anthropometric measurements; however, it seems that chokeberry fruit can be recommended in many metabolic disorders due to the richness of bioactive ingredients.