Advances in functional research of antioxidants and organoleptic traits in berry crops

Abstract

Berry species are economically-important crops worldwide and represent an invaluable source of vitamins and other health-related compounds. Species belonging to the families Rosaceae, Ericaceae and Grossulariaceae provide the most popular fruits, showing a strong diversity in natural and breeding populations as to berry traits (fruit type, size, color, flavor, antioxidant capacity), resistance to a/biotic stress, adaptation to different environment/culture conditions. The small genome size of most diploid berry genera is a remarkable feature for last-generation genomics technologies, molecular genetics and functional studies. This review will cover the literature dealing with molecular research in berry crops, focusing on antioxidant- and flavor-related compounds.

Awareness and knowledge of allergens: A need and a challenge to assure a safe and healthy consumption of small fruits

“…Already in 2005 attention was drawn to the fact, that fruit proteins with high primary sequence similarity display also homologous tertiary structures, resulting in similar epitopes to IgEs and consequently in cross-reactivity and therefore might pose an allergenic potential for pre-sensitised individuals also in strawberry, raspberry and blueberry, otherwise rich in beneficial biofactors [36]. Discussion about the nutritional and health related advantages of berries should at least mention the potential presence of risks factors for part of the consumer population, like allergens, as presented by Carbone et al [13] in their paper dealing with molecular research in berry crops, focusing on antioxidantand flavor-related compounds.…”

“…Ripe berry fruits are prone to fungal attack; hence it is conceivable that chitinases, proteases, and antifungal proteins are among the predominant allergens [13]. Strawberries are under investigation and strong evidence for the existing Bet v 6, Bet v 1 and Mal d 3 homologous proteins have been confirmed by existence of IgE-binding assays and skin prick test [68].…”