In this study, cuticular wax load, its chemical composition, and biosynthesis, was studied during development of wild type (WT) bilberry fruit and its natural glossy type (GT) mutant. GT fruit cuticular wax load was comparable with WT fruits. In both, the proportion of triterpenoids decreased during fruit development concomitant with increasing proportions of total aliphatic compounds. In GT fruit, a higher proportion of triterpenoids in cuticular wax was accompanied by a lower proportion of fatty acids and ketones compared to WT fruit as well as lower density of crystalloid structures on berry surfaces. Our results suggest that the glossy phenotype could be caused by the absence of rod-like structures in GT fruit associated with reduction in proportions of ketones and fatty acids in the cuticular wax. Especially CER26-like, FAR2, CER3-like, LTP, MIXTA, and BAS genes showed fruit skin preferential expression patterns indicating their role in cuticular wax biosynthesis and secretion.

The amplified production of fruit as well as burgeoning demand for plant-made food products have resulted in a sharp increase of waste. Currently, millions of tons of by-products are either being discarded or utilized rather ineffectively. However, these by-products may be processed and further incorporated as functional ingredients in making high-value food products with many physiological and biochemical effects. The chemical analysis of pomace oils using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and reversed-phase-liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detector (RP-HPLC/FLD) systems led to the identification and quantification of 56 individual lipophilic compounds including unsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, as well as phytosterols and four homologs of tocopherol. The oils recovered from by-products of Malus spp. (particularly cv. “Ola”) are rich in fatty acids such as linolenic (57.8%), α-linolenic (54.3%), and oleic (25.5%). The concentration of total tocopherols varied among the Malus species and dessert apples investigated, representing the range of 16.8–30.9 mg mL⁻¹. The highest content of total tocopherols was found in M. Bernu prieks, followed by M. cv. “Ola”, and M. × Soulardii pomace oils. A significantly higher amount of δ-tocopherol was established in the oil of M. Bernu prieks, indicating that this species could be utilized as a natural and cheap source of bioactive molecules. β-Sitosterol was the prevalent compound determined in all tested pomace oils with a percentage distribution of 10.3–94.5%. The main triterpene identified in the oils was lupeol, which varied in the range of 0.1–66.3%. A targeted utilization of apple pomace would facilitate management of tons of by-products and benefit the environment and industry.

Historically Triticum aestívum L. and Secale cereále L. are widely used in the production of bakery products. From the total volume of grain cultivated, roughly 85% is used for the manufacturing of flour, while the remaining part is discarded or utilized rather inefficiently. The limited value attached to bran is associated with their structural complexity, i.e., the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, which makes this material suitable mostly as a feed supplement, while in food production its use presents a challenge. To valorize these materials to food and pharmaceutical applications, additional pre-treatment is required. In the present study, an effective, sustainable, and eco-friendly approach to ferulic acid (FA) production was demonstrated through the biorefining process accomplished by non-starch polysaccharides degrading enzymes. Up to 11.3 and 8.6 g kg⁻¹ of FA was released from rye and wheat bran upon 24 h enzymatic hydrolysis with multi-enzyme complex Viscozyme^® L, respectively.