The present research aimed at evaluating the vitamin C, total phenolic content (TPC), phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and chlorophyll contents, as well as antioxidant activity (AAC) of six Actinidia species fruit. Vitamin C, phenolic compounds, carotenoids and chlorophylls were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. TPC was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent, and AAC using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The highest concentrations of vitamin C and TPC were found for Actinidia kolomikta fruit (1008.3 and 634.1 mg/100 g fresh weight [FW], respectively). Among phenolic compounds, seven phenolic acids and three flavonoids were identified. The 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid prevailed in A. kolomikta (425.54 mg/100 g FW), while tannic acid dominated in other species (4.63-100.43 mg/100 g FW). The largest amounts of chlorophylls and carotenoids were identified as Actinidia macrosperma (4.02 and 2.09 mg/100 g FW, respectively). The AAC of fruit extracts decreased in the order of A. kolomikta > Actinidia purpurea > Actinidia melanandra > A. macrosperma > Actinidia arguta > Actinidia deliciosa according to the DPPH assay.

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Hardy kiwifruit are an important source of vitamin C and phenolics, which resulted in their good antioxidant potential. A significantly higher content of these compounds was found in fruit of hybrid origin, which suggests that A. purpurea × A. arguta clones may be useful genetic resources for further interspecific hybridization.

The consumer acceptability of the fruit is very important aspect of distribution. Consumers expect high-quality fruit with high pro-health values. The intention of the research was to assess the quality of hardy kiwi fruit changes during storage in order to provide consumers with high-quality fruit and nutraceutical content. A particular challenge was to assess the storage capacity of the new Polish variety ‘Bingo’PBR. This is a protected Plant Breeder’s Right (PBR) cultivar in accordance with the Union Internationale pour la Protection des Obtentions Vegetates (UPOV). The storage quality of the fruit of the ‘Bingo’ cultivar was assessed in contrast to the fruit of the ‘Ananasnaya’ cultivar, the basic minikiwi cultivar. The experiment assessed the effect of the fruit ripeness phase during harvest (°Brix −7.7 and 9.0) and the effect of the storage conditions, i.e., normal atmosphere cold store (0.1% CO2: 21% O2) versus controlled atmosphere (1.5% CO2: 1.5% O2). In the fruit evaluation, the focus was concentrated on changes in the basic color of the peel, firmness, soluble solids content, acidity, as well as the main health-promoting attributes, i.e., antioxidant activity, vitamin C content and total polyphenols. In the experiment, it was found the fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ variety were almost 40% harder than the fruits of ‘Bingo’PBR variety. The CA technology (1.5% CO2: 1.5% O2) allows for the acceptable firmness of the fruit for up to 56 days of storage. The earlier harvest with an extract content of 7.0–7.5°Brix also promotes higher fruit firmness. Fruits stored in a normal atmosphere cold store ripen faster and are fully ripe after 28 days. ‘Bingo’PBR variety is characterized by fruits with a higher ascorbic acid content than the fruits of ‘Ananasnaya’ variety. The vitamin C content in fruits increases up to 28 days, regardless of the conditions in which they are stored. The content of polyphenols does not change significantly during storage, which reflects the higher stability of these compounds in fruits.

Antioxidant Capacity, Anthocyanin Content Profile in ‘Bluecrop’ Blueberry Fruit Mature ‘Bluecrop’ berries, with no visible damage on the fruit surface, were picked by hand and placed in a common cold storage (as control) and under CA conditions consisting of 8 different CO2:O2 ratios (12:1.5, 12:3, 12:6, 12:12 and 18:1.5, 18:3, 18:6, 18:12) at 0°C. HPLC was used to separate and determine individual anthocyanin compounds in blueberry fruit. ‘Bluecrop’ blueberries contained 14 anthocyanins: glycosides of delphinidin, cyanidin, peonidin, petunidin and malvidin all with sugar bound at the 3-position. Generally, the content of anthocyanin compounds in fruit was the highest after 2 or 4-week storage. Total anthocyanin content was significantly higher in berries stored under CA condition, especially under low oxygen concentration, as compared with those placed in common cold storage, and CO2 concentration does not have any effect. Antioxidant activity strongly correlated with total anthocyanin content, delphinidin-3-glucoside, delphinidin-3-galactoside, delphinidin-3-arabinoside, petunidin-3-glucoside, petunidin-3-galactoside and with firmness, but slightly correlated with soluble solids and titratable acidity.

The study involving 5 cherry cultivars was conducted in 2015–2016. The varieties ‘Techlovan’, ‘Summit’, ‘Sylvia’, ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ were planted in 2010 in the Experimental Orchard of the Department of Pomology in Warsaw-Wilanów on GiSelA5 rootstock. The aim of the study was to evaluate the production value and dessert fruit quality as well as health proprieties of the tested cultivars’ fruits and select the most valuable ones. It was shown that the varieties differed in fruit set and yielding as well as fruit quality (i.e. fruit size, firmness, soluble solid content, acidity) and health benefits (i.e. polyphenol, anthocyanin, and ascorbic acid content). ‘Techlovan’ trees had the lowest yield, but their fruits were of high quality. ‘Kordia’ and ‘Regina’ also provided high quality fruit with high total polyphenol content. In contrast, the ‘Sylvia’ cultivar had a high yield, but the fruit obtained from it was of poor quality. All tested cultivars had similar vitamin C content.

The rapid increase in the production of hardy kiwi fruit (A. arguta) since the beginning of the 21st century has required the development of new cultivation technologies and postharvest handling procedures in order to extend the supply and transport of the fruit to distant markets. Fruit storage focuses on the inhibition of ripening processes regulated by ethylene activity or respiration. Both of these are effectively regulated by appropriate concentrations of O2 and CO2 in the atmosphere surrounding the fruit. In this study, the effect of the concentration of both gases in the cold room on the physico-chemical indices of fruit quality, i.e., mass loss, firmness, soluble solids and monosaccharides content, titratable acidity and acid content, and color of the peel was evaluated. Studies have shown that high CO2 concentrations inhibit ripening processes more effectively than low O2 concentrations. Softening of berries as well as an increase in soluble solid contents was recorded during the first 4 weeks of storage in the fruit. However, the increase in monosaccharides was fairly stable throughout the study period. The increase in soluble solids content as well as the loss of acidity were more strongly determined by CO2 than O2, although the acid content in a 10% CO2 atmosphere did not change. Additionally, the fruits were greener after storage in 10% CO2, but the weakness was skin dulling and darkening. The results indicate that the use of high CO2 concentrations (5–10%) effectively inhibits ripening processes in fruit. After 12 weeks of storage, the fruit was still not suitable for direct consumption, which suggests that the storage period can be extended further.