Study of the physicochemical properties of highbush blueberry and wild bilberry fruit in central Bosnia

Authors: JASMINA ALIMAN, IZABELA MICHALAK, EDIN BUSATLIC, LAMIJA ALIMAN, MIRKO KULINA, MIRJANA RADOVIC, JASNA HASANBEGOVIC

Abstract: Although around the globe numerous studies have been conducted on the nutritional composition of blueberry/bilberry and its effect on human health, very little is known about the fruit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first report regarding the physical and chemical characteristics of the cultivated highbush blueberry and bilberry harvested in the same climatic conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this paper we present the physical (weight) and chemical (soluble solids content, total sugars, titratable acidity, pH, and total phenols) properties of the wild bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and cultivated highbush-'Earliblue', 'Bluegold', 'Bluecrop', 'Goldtraube'-blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Among the highbush blueberry cultivars, 'Bluegold' (2.07-2.11 g) and 'Bluecrop' (2.08-2.11 g) had the highest weight. 'Bluecrop' had the highest soluble solids content (13.3-13.7 °Brix) and total sugars (9.73%?9.94%), but the lowest content of titratable acidity (0.70-0.72 g/100 g), which was highest in 'Goldtraube' (0.92-0.93 g/100 g). This cultivar also had the highest content of total phenols (289-309 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g of fresh weight). In the case of wild bilberry, the following values were obtained: average weight 0.28-0.32 g, soluble solids content 11.1-11.3 °Brix, total sugars 7.23%-7.37%, titratable acidity 0.99%-1.02%, and total phenols 431-455 mg/100 g. Blueberry and wild bilberry also had a fairly uniform pH (3.2-3.6). All samples had a valuable composition and so it is advisory to expand their production in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to increase their consumption.

Keywords: Blueberry and wild bilberry, fruit weight, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, total sugars, total phenols

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