The chemical composition and quality of eight pure cold‐pressed oils and two blend oils from Macedonia were examined in this work. The highest level of oleic acid was determined in apricot kernel oil and rapeseed oil with abundance of 70.9 and 59.2%, respectively. The highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids was seen for flaxseed and hemp seed oil with abundance of α‐linolenic acid of 55.1% for flaxseed oil and linoleic acid of 57.4% for hemp seed oil. Apricot kernel oil and roasted sesame seed oil had the highest oxidative stability with induction times of 7.6 and 10.9 h. Apricot oil, hemp seed oil, and flaxseed oil had the highest level of total vitamin‐E‐active compounds with 58.8, 58.1, and 69.7 per 100 g of oil with predomination of γ‐tocopherol. The highest peroxide number was detected in blend oils (oil 2 and oil 8) with values over 10 meq O2/kg of oil. The highest FFA was detected in rapeseed oil (1.57%). Roasted and unroasted sesame seed oils had relatively high specific extinction (K232 values 3.55 and 3.33, respectively). However, the highest UV extinction had a blend of pumpkin seed oil and sunflower oil with a value of 3.84. Practical applications: The results of this study can be applied for determination of the most important major and minor components responsible for quality evaluation of cold‐pressed oils. Statistical results indicated a strong relationship between the level of monounsaturated fatty acids in the oil and their oxidative stability. The level of tocopherols and other vitamin‐E‐related compounds was in strong relationship with the antioxidant activity of the oils measured by the DPPH method. Phytosterols, as minor compounds present in the oils, did not contribute significantly to the total antioxidant potential of the oils but, their levels in particular oils, together with fatty acids, can be useful and reliable markers for the purity of the oils and determination of the composition of blends. Score plot of fatty acid profile, induction time, peroxide number, FFA, specific extinction, total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids, DPPH and TEAC assay, vitamin‐E‐active compounds, and phytosterols of ten cold‐pressed edible oils from Macedonia.

a b s t r a c tThe main objectives of this study were to (i) isolate newly autochthonous yeast strains from the Tikveš region of Macedonia and (ii) test their impact on the quality of red wines from Vranec and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties. The newly isolated yeast strains were obtained by spontaneous fermentation of grape must from Vranec and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties collected from ten different micro-regions in Macedonia. The grapevines from both varieties grown in ''Barovo" micro-region were the richest sources of yeast strains. In addition, the molecular identification and typing of strains were also carried out. The monomeric anthocyanins, polyphenolic content and other oenochemical characteristics of the wines were also compared with the wines from commercial yeast strain ''SiHa". The Vranec wine from yeast strain F-8 and Cabernet Sauvignon wine from yeast strain F-20 had significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations of monomeric anthocyanins and total phenolic compounds than other wines.

a b s t r a c tThe impact of enological practices (temperature, flipping and the inoculation amount of newly selected yeast F-78 from third-stage selection) on the level of monomeric anthocyanins, total phenolic compounds and the overall taste of fifteen red wines from Macedonian Vranec grape variety were studied. The most important factor which affects the level of monomeric anthocyanins was temperature. The inoculation amount had a positive influence on the phenolic extraction. More inoculation amount leads to faster ethanol formation and acceleration of the anthocyanins extraction. The flipping of the must during fermentation was controversial. The best wine-making procedure for production of the typical for the region high-extractive aged wines included a fermentation temperature of 20-24°C, intensive flipping (5-6 times/24 h), and inoculation quantity 3-4% and a fermentation on 20°C, medium flipping (3-4 times/24 h) and inoculation quantity 3-4% for production of commercial, young and easy to drink ''Beaujoulais" wines.

The bioactive compounds and "in vitro" antioxidant activity measured by three antioxidant assays of some traditional and non-traditional cold-pressed edible oils from Macedonia were object of this study. The fatty acid composition showed dominance of monounsaturated oleic acid in "sweet" and "bitter" apricot kernel oils with percentages of 66.7 ± 0.5 and 57.8 ± 0.3%, respectively. The most dominant fatty acid in paprika seed oil was polyunsaturated linoleic acid with abundance of 69.6 ± 2.3%. The most abundant tocopherol was γ-tocopherol with the highest quantity in sesame seed oil (57.6 ± 0.1 mg/100 g oil). Paprika seed oil, sesame seed oil and sweet apricot oil were the richest source of phytosterols. DPPH assay was the most appropriate for the determination of the antioxidant activity of cold-pressed sunflower oil due to high abundance of α-tocopherol with a level of 22.8 ± 1.1 mg/100 g of oil. TEAC assay is the best for the determination of the antioxidant activity of sesame seed oil and paprika seed oils as the richest sources of phenolic compounds. β-carotene assay was the most suitable assay for oils obtained from high pigmented plant material. Triacylglycerols and phytosterol profiles can be used as useful markers for the origin, variety and purity of the oils.

Lingonberries contain high contents of bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids and anthocyanins. In addition to radical scavenging and antioxidant activities, these compounds can protect cells from DNA damage. For this reason, lingonberries might be well suited for nutraceuticals or natural biomedicines. To assess these applications, the present study characterized and identified the most effective extract, only consisting of anthocyanins, copigments or a mixture of both, obtained from a lingonberry juice concentrate. An extract was generated by using a XAD-7 column followed by fractionation into anthocyanins and copigments using adsorptive membrane chromatography. After identification of main polyphenols by HPLC–photodiode array–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry, free radical scavenging activity was analyzed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and galvinoxyl radicals. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry analyses and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay were applied. Finally, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) reducing effects of the lingonberry extract and its fractions were evaluated in HepG2 cells. While the combination of anthocyanins and copigments possessed the highest antioxidant activities, all samples (XAD-7 extract, anthocyanin and copigment fraction) protected cells from oxidative stress. Thus, synergistic effects between phenolic compounds may be responsible for the high antioxidant potential of lingonberries, enabling their use as nutraceuticals.

Anthocyanins of Macedonian grape pomace from three varieties "Pinot noir", "Merlot" and "Vranec" were isolated by high speed countercurrent chromatography. After purification of the fractions by means of preparative high performance liquid chromatography the structures of isolated pigments were elucidated by electrospray ionization multiple mass spectrometry (ESI-MS n ) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The major anthocyanin malvidin-3-glucoside and the minor pigments delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyaniding-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, and malvidin-3-p-coumarоyl-glucoside were isolated.The "Color activity concept" was applied and visual detection thresholds of isolated anthocyanins were determined. The results of the "color activity value" of the isolated pigments and their detection thresholds were in good agreement with the color shade of the different varieties of red grape pomace.

Grapes are one of the most economically important fruits in the world and are of considerable benefit to human health due to their phenolic compounds. The black ‘Isabel’ grape (V. vinifera L. xV. labrusca L.) is widely grown in the Black Sea region of Turkey, where it is attracting increasing interest. The aim of this study was to investigate phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity (DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and CUPRAC (CUPric Reducing Antioxidant Capacity)) in the grape during berry development, which has been not reported yet from the region. A trend towards an increase in total phenolic compounds, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents and antioxidant capacity values was observed from un-ripened to overly ripened berries. In addition, anthocyanins in berries and proanthocyanidins seeds were characterized during berry development. Accordingly, malvidin-3-O-glucoside was the major anthocyanin in skin (1.05–1729 mg/kg fresh weight (fw)) and whole berry (0.23–895 mg/kg fw), followed by the content of peonidin-3-O-glucoside (0.98–799 mg/kg fw and 0.15–202 mg/kg fw, respectively). After veraison (onset of ripening or change of color in the grape berries), all proanthocyanidins showed a gradual decrease through ripening. The results showed that anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins in the grape showed significant stage-dependent changes with positive or negative strong correlations. Considering the phenolic compounds, an optimum harvest date of the grape might be suggested between mid-September and mid-October (263 and 293 DAFBs).

In the current study, the antioxidant activity of traditional homemade fruit vinegars (HMV) was estimated by measuring the rate of homogeneous redox reaction with 2,2’-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical cation (ABTS•+) using cyclic voltammetry. The antioxidant capacity of six HMV produced using traditional methods and the physicochemical characterization were measured in different vinegar production steps throughout a double spontaneous fermentation process, i.e., without any addition of yeasts or acetic acid bacteria. Their antioxidant capacity was compared with seven fruit commercial vinegars (ComV). Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity was independently measured with the TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) assay, aiming at correlating with the electrochemical experimental data. Obtained results from both methods, the electrochemical and TEAC assays, interestingly indicated that all HMV have at least 10 times higher antioxidant activity than ComV. Furthermore, the large range of values for antioxidant capacity in samples of commercial vinegars from apples attested the importance of the raw material quality and technological procedures. The positive correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity measured by the two type of assays indicated that rose hip homemade vinegar (HMV5) has the highest antioxidant capacity. In contrast, the lowest levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity were found in apple and persimmon homemade vinegars (HMV1 and HMV6, respectively) which indicated that the type of fruit is crucial towards the production of high-quality vinegars. In this way, the use of traditional processes for the production of fruit vinegars proved to be very promising in terms of producing differentiated vinegars and, concomitantly, reaching high levels of health-promoting antioxidant capacities.