The objective of this study is to assess the proximate chemical composition, and the physical and techno-functional properties of blackberry pomace from different cultivars (‘Polar’, ‘Orkan’, ‘Brzezina’). Blackberry pomace primarily comprises seeds and other parts, such as pulps/skins. It serves as a rich source of bioactive compounds, particularly anthocyanins, and demonstrates notable functional properties, including water holding capacity, oil holding capacity, swelling capacity, and various fiber fractions. Moreover, anthocyanin-rich fruits are interesting due to their health-promoting properties and intensive color. Total anthocyanin content (TAC) ranged from 113.82 mg 100 g⁻¹ d.w. to 129.58 mg 100 g⁻¹ d.w. in blackberry pomace. Fiber fractions, including ADF, NDF, lignin, and WSCs, exhibited significant variations among the different blackberry pomace cultivars as well as color.

This study aimed to determine the amounts of phenols, antioxidant activity, and sensory compounds in three commercial cultivars of blackberries popular in Lithuania: ‘Polar’, ‘Brzezina’, and ‘Orkan’. Blackberry pomace was analyzed by the spectrophotometric method for total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and radical-scavenging capacity using the DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ assays. The phenolic profiles, organic acids, and sugars were analyzed by HPLC. The Heracles II electronic nose, which is based on ultrafast gas chromatography, was used for the quantification of volatile organic compounds. The results show that the total phenolic content of blackberry pomace varied from 2380.60 to 2088.00 mg 100 g⁻¹ and that the total flavonoid content varied from 161.29 to 148.10 mg 100 g⁻¹, depending on the cultivar. A total of 14 polyphenols were also identified, with epigallocatechin and anthocyanin cyanidin-3-O-glucoside being quantified in the highest concentrations (7.28 to 9.72 and 6.19 to 9.79 mg g⁻¹, respectively) and being the predominant phenolic compounds in the blackberry-pomace samples. The odor profiles of blackberry pomace from different cultivars varied. The main volatile organic compounds found in all blackberry pomace were 1-Nonanol and cis-3-Hexen-1-ol, are associated with herbaceous and citrusy aromas. All these results show the potential of using blackberry pomace to enrich food products with bioactive phytochemicals.

The main objective of this work was to extract bioactive compounds from different cultivars of blackberry pomace using conventional Soxhlet and supercritical CO₂ (SC-CO₂) extraction methods. For Soxhlet extraction, two different solvents, ethanol and n-hexane, were used. Qualitative and quantitative composition of fatty acids was determined by GC, carotenoids and chlorophylls by HPLC, and volatile organic compounds were identified with an e-nose based on GC. The yield of the extract was influenced by the extraction, while the qualitative content of the extracts was also dependent on the cultivar. While there were no differences in the types of fatty acids extracted, their content varied significantly depending on the cultivar, extraction method, and their interaction. The results showed that linoleic acid (C18:2), oleic acid (C18:1), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3) were the most prevalent in all cultivars of blackberry pomace extracts. The linoleic acid content varied from 33.33 to 64.77% depending on the variety, and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 varied from 3.17% to 5.71%. Significantly higher quantities of carotenoids and chlorophylls were obtained in Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane in all extracts. The major carotenoid in the ‘Orkan’ and ‘Polar’ extracts was lutein, while in the ‘Brzezina’ extract, it was β-carotene. The extraction method has a significant impact on the flavor profile of the extracts.

Blackberries are seasonal berries that are processed into various products leaving a large amount of residues after processing, and therefore the most effective ways of utilising the residues need to be evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different extraction methods on the chemical content of blackberry pomace extracts from different cultivars and their effect on the viability of the Caco-2 colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line and CCD-18Co normal colon fibroblast cancer cells. Blackberry pomace from berries of the cultivars ‘Polar’, ‘Orkan’, and ‘Brzezina’ was extracted by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and a combination of these two extraction methods (MAE+UAE). The phenolic profile and the amount of organic acids and sugars were detected by HPLC. The spectrophotometric method was used to determine the amount of total phenolics, total flavonoids, and total anthocyanins. The cytotoxicity of the extracts was measured by the MTT assay. The chemical content of the extracts depends on the blackberry cultivar, the extraction method, and its interaction. Only the DPPH antioxidant activity did not depend on these factors and had no statistically significant differences between the different extracts. The extracts at a concentration of 5.0% increased the growth of both cancer cells, while the extracts at 1% and 2.5%, depending on the cultivar, reduced the growth of these cells. The MAE and UAE extracts of the ‘Orkan’ cultivar at concentrations of 1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% best inhibited the viability of Caco-2 cells. The extracts inhibited the growth of the Caco-2 cell line better than CCD-18Co normal colon fibroblasts.