The antioxidants in goji berry (Lycium spp.) fruits might confer many health protective benefits by alleviating oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to describe quality traits and the level of potentially bioactive compounds (HPLC fingerprint) and their influence on fruit phytocomplex and antioxidant activity in goji in comparison to the most common fruits. Goji berry was identified as a rich source of antioxidant compounds, with health-promoting properties comparable to other common fruit species.The obtained fingerprint may be useful to better understand the nutraceutical traits of this species recently considered as functional food thanks to its antioxidant properties.

Interest in new sources of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds has recently become a major research issue, with the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) receiving particular attention for its significant amounts of phenolic compounds and vitamins, which exhibit a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. This study was aimed at increasing knowledge regarding the cornelian cherry in Italy through the analysis of biologically active substances in the locally available genotype "Chieri". Spectrophotometric methods were applied to evaluate antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin content and total polyphenolic content. Identification and quantification of the main phytochemical compounds (polyphenols, monoterpenes, organic acids and vitamin C) was performed via high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector. C. mas extracts showed high levels of total soluble solids and low acidity. High amounts of phenolic secondary metabolites were observed, with particular reference to anthocyanins (134.71 mg/100 g), which confer remarkable nutraceutical properties to the analysed samples. These results highlight the potential of C. mas fruits as a good source of natural antioxidants, suggesting their use as a functional food. Future studies should focus on identifying other specific phytochemical compounds and the genetic traits of local varieties in order to improve cornelian cherry cultivars for food and medicine production.

With the diffusion of commercial apple varieties since the second half of the last century, hundreds of different local cultivars rapidly disappeared from orchards in Italy, and the particular quality attributes of these fruits are still at risk of being lost today. The aim of this research was to use sensory, nutritional and genetic techniques in order to define the overall quality of fruits from ancient apple cultivars grown in Northern Italy. Cluster analysis arranged the 10 genotypes into five groups; in most cases, the analyzed cultivars demonstrated higher sensory and nutritional qualities than the control (Golden Delicious cv). The cultivars showed higher values of total polyphenolic compounds and a stronger antioxidant activity. The vitamin C content also differed from the control. The sensory analysis, performed by the Fruit Tasters Italian Organization, was an effective characterization tool and genetic analysis further helped to characterize the identity of these interesting cultivars. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe characterization and valorization of old apple cultivars are essential to avoid loss of potentially useful germplasm. The reduction of biodiversity of cultivars found in agriculture could lead to problems such as higher susceptibility to widespread outbreaks of plant diseases and pests, and at the same time, the loss of precious source of nutrients. The conservation of apple biodiversity is valuable in order to maintain the gene pool of the species and to introduce superior quality traits into apple-breeding programs.bs_bs_banner Journal of Food Quality

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Recently, the fingerprint approach using chromatography has become one of the most effective tools for quality assessment of herbal medicines and food supplements: due to the complexity of the chromatographic fingerprint and the irreproducibility of chromatographic instruments and experimental conditions, chemometric approach is employed to deal with the chromatographic fingerprint. The study was aimed at developing new analytical methods for the multivariate phytochemical fingerprinting of bioactive compounds in eight tree-species bud-preparations, commonly used in phytotherapy. Methods was used to identify and quantify the main bioactive compounds (polyphenols, organic acids and vitamins), and obtain a specific botanical profile in order to assess the contribution of each single bioactive class to the total bud preparation phytocomplex. A chemometric approach was used to distinguish among different genotypes assuring the identity, safety and quality of the botanical raw materials. The established protocol was simple, sensitive and reliable and it could be used for the evaluation and quality control of bud-extracts and natural food supplements: the proposed method was successfully applied to the characterization of commercial bud-preparations, demonstrating to be an effective tool for the fingerprinting of this plant material. The new approach developed in this study represents a good alternative for improving the classification results of herbal materials with complex chromatograms. It should be necessary to develop a Bmultivariate chromatographic fingerprint^, in order to differentiate the herbal preparations according to their genotype, avoiding substitutions, changes or adulterations with other species or synthetic drugs.

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Centuries of co-evolution between Castanea spp. biodiversity and human populations has resulted in the spread of rich and varied chestnut genetic diversity throughout most of the world, especially in mountainous and forested regions. Its plasticity and adaptability to different pedoclimates and the wide genetic variability of the species determined the spread of many different ecotypes and varieties in the wild. Throughout the centuries, man has used, selected and preserved these different genotypes, vegetatively propagating them by grafting, for many applications: fresh consumption, production of flour, animal nutrition, timber production, thereby actively contributing to the maintenance of the natural biodiversity of the species, and providing an excellent example of conservation horticulture.Nonetheless, currently the genetic variability of the species is critically endangered and hundreds of ecotypes and varieties are at risk of being lost due to a number of phytosanitary problems (canker blight, Chryphonectria parasitica; ink disease, Phytophthora spp.; gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus), and because of the many years of decline and abandonment of chestnut cultivation, which resulted in the loss of the binomial male chestnut. Recently, several research and experimentation programmes have attempted to develop strategies for the conservation of chestnut biodiversity. 3The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the status of biodiversity conservation of the species and to present the results of a 7 year project aimed at the individuation and study of genetic diversity and conservation of Castanea spp. germplasm.

It is well known that plants are important sources for the preparation of natural remedies as they contain many biologically active compounds. In particular, polyphenols, terpenic compounds, organic acids, and vitamins are the most widely occurring groups of phytochemicals. Some endemic species may be used for the production of herbal preparations containing phytochemicals with significant bioactivity, as antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory capacities, and health benefits. Blackberry sprouts and blackcurrant buds are known to contain appreciable levels of bioactive compounds, including flavonols, phenolic acids, monoterpenes, vitamin C, and catechins, with several clinical effects. The aim of this research was to perform an analytical study of blackcurrant and blackberry bud-preparations, in order to identify and quantify the main biomarkers, obtaining a specific phytochemical fingerprint to evaluate the single botanical class contribution to total phytocomplex and relative bioactivity, using a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph−Diode Array Detector; the same analyses were performed both on the University laboratory and commercial preparations. Different chromatographic methods were used to determine concentrations of biomolecules in the preparations, allowing for quantification of statistically significant differences in their bioactive compound content both in the case of Ribes nigrum and Rubus cultivated varieties at different harvest stages. In blackcurrant bud-extracts the most important class was organic acids (50.98%) followed by monoterpenes (14.05%), while in blackberry preparations the main bioactive classes were catechins (50.06%) and organic acids (27.34%). Chemical, pharmaceutical and agronomic-environmental knowledge could be important for obtaining label certifications for the valorization of specific genotypes, with high clinical and pharmaceutical value: this study allowed to develop an effective tool for the natural preparation quality control and bioactivity evaluation through the chemical fingerprinting of bud preparations.