PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SOME ROMANIAN EDIBLE FOREST FRUITS OF UNPOLLUTED ENVIRONMENT

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower incidence of degenerative diseases (such as cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers). Most recent interest has focused on the biochemical variability of phenolic and antioxidant compounds found in fruit and vegetable. The biochemical components variability in fruits is relatively high, due to the many varieties of each species, to the applied technology and not least due to environmental conditions. Forest fruits contain several antioxidants and polyphenols that possess many biological activities, such as antioxidant, anticancer and antiinflammation properties. This study aimed to evaluate differences in nutritional (dry matter, soluble solids content, total acidity and pH value) and bioactive values (ascorbic acid, total phenols) of wild grown raspberry (Rubus idaeus) and blackberry (Rubus discolor) genotypes harvested from native populations in Romania from some areas with unpolluted environment.