The changes of polyphenols and triterpenoids in three cranberry cultivars (‘Pilgrim’, ‘Stevens’, and ‘Ben Lear)’ from different maturity stages, grown in Poland, were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and photodiode detector-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Fifty-one bioactive compounds were identified in cranberry fruits, including 48 polyphenols (19 flavonols, 8 anthocyanins, 7 phenolic acids, and 14 flavan-3-ol oligomers) and 3 triterpenoids (betulinic, oleanolic, and ursolic acids). The concentrations of individual polyphenolic compounds during ripening were similar, whereas their values differed significantly. Immature fruits showed the lowest level of polyphenolic compounds, which increased in semi-mature cranberry fruits and did not change remarkably in commercially mature cranberry fruits. The quantity of phytochemical compounds during cranberry fruit ripening depended on cultivar, and the cultivar ‘Stevens’ had significantly higher concentrations of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in comparison to the other tested cultivars.

The potential of the ozone-enriched atmosphere for the improvement of the shelf life of apples of Gloster variety (Malus domestica) in cold storage was investigated. The storage experiment was conducted for 84 days. During that period, ozone at the concentration of 1 ppm was dosed every 12 hours for 1 minute. However, the exposure to ozone at such a concentration was unsuccessful in terms of inhibition of fungal disease development. Furthermore, the captan level in apples was reduced; therefore, they were more susceptible to fungal disease. On the other hand, the tests of the physical properties showed that utilization of ozone slowed down the ripening of apples; therefore, extending their shelf life provided that they were not infected.

This study aimed to investigate the changes in the total polyphenolic content and antioxidant properties after subjecting Pink Rock Rose (Cistus creticus) leaves to three different drying procedures, including convection drying (CD) at 40, 50 and 60 °C; vacuum-microwave drying (VMD) at 240 W microwave power; and combined drying consisting of convective pre-drying at 50 °C followed by vacuum-microwave finish drying at 240 W microwave power (CPD-VMFD). The total polyphenolic content and antioxidant properties (DPPH, ABTS) of leaves subjected to these three drying methods were spectrophotometrically determined. The results show that convection drying at 40 °C and vacuum-microwave drying yielded dried leaves with the highest bioactive potential in terms of the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity, with the highest and lowest values of final specific energy consumption, respectively. The lowest bioactive potential was found in a product dried at 60 °C, which can be attributed to the possible degradation or changes in polyphenol structures under high temperatures. During the combined treatment (CPD-VMFD), most of the moisture was efficiently removed from the raw material by CPD, whereas the time of drying was significantly reduced by the application of VMFD. Combined drying CPD-VMFD is most suitable for industrial applications as it produces dried leaves with a bioactive potential that is only slightly lower than that achieved with VMD while providing a high-throughput capacity relative to operating costs.