Due to the dynamic growth of the cold brew coffee market, the aim of this study was to identify and characterize main bioactive and aromatic compounds that may be helpful for quality control during the production of popular beverages. Using headspace solid-phase microextraction and GC-MS and LC-MS analysis, prepared cold brew coffee extracts were investigated and compared with different green bean roasting profiles and varying extraction temperature and time parameters. In terms of quantitative composition, the study showed that cold brew coffees are an exceptional source of chlorogenic acid. Therefore, they may change consumers purchasing decisions on the beverage market and establish a new and natural substitute for controversial energy drinks. The analyses confirm the possibility of producing a beverage with increased chlorogenic acid content above 900 mg/L or at a similar level of 400–500 mg/L with caffeine, which may be important on an industrial scale due to the possibility of diversifying beverage production. Furthermore, aroma compounds were presented as markers responsible for fruity or caramel–roasted-almond notes and changes in their concentrations according to the recipe were also presented. The best option for cold brew coffee production appears to be beans roasted in the 210–220 °C temperature range.

Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) fruit and processed berries have very high biological value because they are a rich source of bioactive compounds. The method of black chokeberry juice preservation is of key importance. One of the more recent ways in which semiliquid and liquid products can be preserved is the pulsed electric field (PEF) method. The aim of our study was to compare chosen physical and chemical properties of fresh and PEF-preserved chokeberry fruit juices derived from farms located in the vicinity of Cracow (Kraków). The analysis focused on the physical properties and chemical composition of black chokeberry juices, their bioactive compound content, and antioxidant activity. After using the PEF method, there was an increase in dry weight, sugars, and polyphenols, which could be caused by the slight evaporation of water during the process. During this process, antioxidant activity decreased, and ultra-weak luminescence slightly increased. The process of preserving juices using the PEF method is a good way to preserve the bioactive properties of the obtained aronia juices.

The characteristics of elderberries and their flowers as well as selected properties of chlorogenic acid related to phenolic compounds are described. The aim of this study was to optimize the content of chlorogenic acid in ethanol extracts of elderberry flowers using the response surface methodology (RSM). The experiment was carried out with four research variants: fresh raw material treated with warm ethanol (50 °C) or cold ethanol (25 °C) and the same procedure for raw material that was frozen for a month and then dried. For each variant, nine methods of obtaining extracts were prepared using three different ethanol concentrations by volume (40, 68 or 95%) and three different extraction times (7, 20 or 30 days). Higher contents of chlorogenic acid were found in variants treated with warm ethanol (106.3 to 384.8 µg/cm³) in comparison to the samples treated with cold ethanol (60.77 to 298.3 µg/cm³). Optimization models of the response surface showed that with small losses of efficiency, the extraction process can be carried out for up to 20 days (instead of 30) with the use of ethanol with a concentration of approx. 68% (instead of 95%). The optimization of the efficiency of technological processes in the processing of herbs can be supported by the use of the response surface methodology.

The purpose of this article is to present information about changes in physical properties (pH, TA, and color) and chemical components with bioactive activity in cold brew coffee beverages, during storage before and after HTST processing. Coffee samples were tested using industrial technology (12,000 bottles per batch). The antioxidant activity of the samples was analyzed using ABTS and FRAP methods, the concentration of polyphenols was determined using the UPLC-MS chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method, and microbiological tests were performed according to PN-ISO/PN-EN ISO standards. The pH value decreased during coffee storage, and the color changed significantly in brightness. Polyphenol concentrations were calculated in the range of 1800 to almost 3400 mg/L, and the antioxidant capacity for ABTS and FRAP reached the ranges of the results successively: 123–195 µMol/100 mL and 158–212 µMol/100 mL. It was observed that HTST pasteurization has a beneficial effect on preserving the beverage in microbiological terms. Also, a positive effect of the process on the release of chemical components responsible for bioactive properties from the beverage was observed, followed by a reduction in antioxidant activity during the first 90 days of storage and between 180 and 270 days during storage.

Elderflowers are used for both culinary and health purposes. Their composition and, therefore, their properties depend on the variety from which they were obtained. The aim of this study was to compare six cultivated varieties with the wild form. The research included determining the basic chemical composition, bioactive ingredients and antioxidant activity. This research confirms that elderberry flowers are rich in bioactive ingredients. The wild form turned out to be the most rich in bioactive ingredients, while among the tested varieties it was ‘Weihenstephan’; both of these forms were characterized by a high content of polyphenols (394.36 and 377.75 mg/100 g dm, respectively) and antioxidant activity. The PCA analysis showed general differences in the chemical composition of elderberry flowers, depending on the variety, in relation to 23 variables, as well as showing their mutual correlations and the strength of their influence on the PCA model.

Concentrated microwave field (CMF) is the technology for preserving liquid food products, where the preservation factor is both a nonthermal effect and a moderate thermal effect. The term “concentrated microwave field” is traditionally used in Poland and is the equivalent to “single-mode-type microwave heating”. The aim of the research was to determine selected physical and rheological properties of liquid egg white, liquid yolk and liquid whole eggs (LWE) after CMF treatment. It was found that both the amount of energy supplied to the system and the intervals between CMF pulses had a statistically significant impact on the analyzed properties of liquid egg raw materials. In industrial practice, it would be recommended to use lower CMF treatment (at the level of 2.2–2.6 kJ) for the yolk, medium (3.2–3.6 kJ) for egg white and higher (4.0–4.4 kJ) for the liquid whole eggs. The “response surface” models presented in the paper may have a practical application in determining the influence of individual technological parameters on the final quality of various liquid food products.