Total Carotenoids, Flavonoids and Phenolic Compounds Concentration in Willowleaf Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster Salicifolius Franch.) Fruits

Ticuța Negreanu-Pîrjol, Dan Răzvan Popoviciu and Rodica Bercu
Ovidius University of Constanta

Abstract

Willofleaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster salicifolius Franch.) is a low, prostrate shrub, grown in Romania as an ornamental plant. Its fruits are small, ovoid pomes. Fruit tissues were analyzed for total carotenoid content (through acetone extraction and spectrophotometry), flavonoid content (methanol extraction and spectrophotometry) and total concentration of phenolic and polyphenolic compounds (methanol extraction and spectrophotometric Folin-Ciocâlteu method). Cotoneaster salicifolius fruits analyzed contained an average of 311.50 mg/kg DW carotenoids (heat-dried fruits – only 100.25 mg/kg). Average flavonoid concentration was 9,777.62 mg/kg in fresh frozen fruits and 4,574 mg/kg in dried ones. 25,056.09 mg/kg GAE was the average concentration of total phenolics in fresh fruits, while dry fruit powder contained 5,271 mg/kg GAE. These concentrations of bioactive compounds are comparable, or even have a higher than in pomes belonging to related species, including domestic cultivars of rowanberry (Sorbus sp.), wild Sorbus species, firethorns (Pyracantha sp.), or other studied cotoneasters. The mentioned vegetal products emphasize a significant potential of the pomes, requiring further investigation. However, heat-drying was found to be an unsuitable processing method for these type of fruits, since it led to a 53.22-78.94% decrease in bioactive compounds concentrations.


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