Chemical composition and mineral content of fresh and dried fruits of the wild rosehip (Rosa canina L.) population

Rosa canina L. is a widespread wild species in the temperate zone. The fruit is used for nutritional and pharmacological purposes, due to various chemical composition with considerable therapeutic potential. The fruit is rarely eaten fresh but has to be processed, usually dried. To prolong storage and prevent deterioration of the nutrient composition, it is important to optimize various processing methods. This study aimed to determine the basic chemical composition and content of macro and micro components in fresh and dried wild fruits collected from different microsites in Herzegovina. The method of drying was also varied in the study, both under natural conditions and forced (artificial) by convection. All rosehip fruits from wild populations in Herzegovina represent a potential raw material for further processing by drying, with the fruits from the Poljice site standing out with the highest content of total acids (45.1%) and sugars: Fructose (4.575 g/100 g bw), glucose (3.26 g/100 g bw) and natural invert (7.835 g/100 g bw). Drying naturally resulted in slightly higher values for total acids, ash and mineral constituents (Ca, Na and Fe) in the dried fruits, while drying by convection resulted in higher values for fructose, glucose, natural inversion and K. In general, the dried fruits had slightly higher fructose, glucose, natural inversion and K values. The dried rosehip fruits showed higher levels of the analysed chemical constituents compared to the fresh fruits, suggesting that dried rosehip fruits also represent the potential for further use in various products.