Enriching bread with functional ingredients is a promising strategy to enhance the nutritional and bioactive profile of widely consumed foods. This study evaluated partial substitution of wheat flour (WF) with chestnut flour (CF) and rosehip powder (RP) on bread nutritional quality, functionality, and rheology. Five bread formulations were developed by replacing WF with CF at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. Four other formulations were prepared by replacing WF in the 15% CF sample with RP at 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%. Proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP), and key physical characteristics were assessed, alongside the retention rates of functional attributes after baking. Rheological behavior of composite flours was analyzed using the MIXOLAB system to evaluate dough performance. Results showed that moderate WF substitution with CF (5–15%) increased dietary fiber and antioxidant activity while maintaining acceptable dough rheology and bread quality. At 20% CF substitution, TPC, TFC, FRAP, and DPPH increased 1.62-, 1.63-, 2.93-, and 3.03-fold versus control, with 59–66% retention. Addition of RP up to 3% to the 15% CF-substituted sample further enhanced bioactive properties, with TPC, TFC, FRAP, and DPPH reaching 2.13-, 2.03-, 4.49-, and 3.99-fold vs. BCF15, while retaining 61–67% of their functionality. Further inclusion of RP up to 2% in the 15% CF formulation maintains acceptable dough and bread performance, while 3% RP maximizes phytochemical enrichment but slightly affects technological properties. The combination of 15% CF and 2% RP provided a balanced enhancement in bioactive content and technological performance, offering a practical approach for producing functional bread with improved nutritional and technological attributes.

The blueberry is part of the Ericaceae family and is known for its expansion in different areas of the globe, due to the quality of the fruits and their beneficial properties on human health. In this work, in addition to the biological action (antimicrobial, antioxidant, therapeutic effects, possible toxic effects of the leaves), the differences in the content of metabolites from varieties, hybrids or wild plants from different regions are evaluated. The leaves are rich in flavonoids and polyphenols, especially chlorogenic acid, and isoquercetin. The fruits are rich in antimicrobial compounds, with anti-inflammatory and neuronal activity. It was found that there are differences in the level of phytochemical compounds depending on the tested variety. An important aspect that must be taken into account are the potential toxic compounds, especially if the aim is to use certain parts of the plant in food or as food supplements. The fruits have high antioxidant capacity, due to the content in biocompounds. The content of flavonoids and anthocyanins is very high. Some studies have shown that wild blueberries are characterized by a higher content of phenolic compounds, compared to cultivated blueberries. It is believed that the differences between hybrids or varieties are the result of climate, cultivation area and genotype.

Sea buckthorn pomace, generated as a by-product of juice processing, has potential for valorisation as a functional food ingredient. This study investigated whether dry fractionation by grinding and controlled sieving of seed-free sea buckthorn pomace (SBP) can generate granulometric fractions with distinct compositional, antioxidant, structural, and technofunctional characteristics. SBP was separated into six fractions (SBPF1: >2.0 mm; SBPF2: 1.0–2.0 mm; SBPF3: 0.5–1.0 mm; SBPF4: 0.25–0.5 mm; SBPF5: 0.15–0.25 mm; SBPF6: <0.15 mm) and evaluated for proximate composition, colour, water swelling capacity (WSC), water retention capacity (WRC), water solubility index (WSI), oil retention capacity (ORC), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), DPPH radical-scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and structural characteristics. Granulometric fractionation resulted in significant differences among the fractions. SBPF1 showed the highest total dietary fibre content (58.46%), with insoluble dietary fibre predominating in the coarser fractions, whereas soluble dietary fibre increased towards the finer fractions. WSC was highest in SBPF3, WRC in SBPF5, WSI increased progressively towards SBPF6, and ORC was higher in the coarser fractions. SBPF4 showed the highest TPC (2984.02 mg GAE/100 g d.w.), TFC (1365.14 mg QE/100 g d.w.), DPPH (315.74 μmol TE/g d.w.), and FRAP (277.63 μmol Fe²⁺/g d.w.) values. Pearson analysis showed strong positive correlations among TPC, TFC, DPPH, and FRAP, while principal component and agglomerative hierarchical analyses differentiated the granulometric fractions according to their multivariate profiles. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy showed preservation of the main absorption regions together with fraction-specific differences in spectral parameters and peak-area ratios, whereas wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) profiles remained broadly comparable, with a diffuse feature around a scattering angle (2θ) of 20° and no newly appearing sharp reflections, although crystallite size differed among fractions and increased from SBPF3 to SBPF6. These results demonstrate that granulometric fractionation can generate SBP fractions with distinct characteristics, supporting their consideration as potential value-added ingredients for further evaluation in specific food applications.