Sea buckthorn (Hippophaė rhamnoides L.) is recognized as a valuable source of vitamin C and antioxidants, frequently used as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals. In the present study, attempts are made to produce and characterize a novel type of marmalade using sea buckthorn berries processed at 102 °C into marmalade in two combinations, with whole cane or stevia sugar. Changes in the phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, color, shelf-life, texture, microbiological, and sensorial characteristics were determined. The total carotenoids content in the marmalades were significantly different, with values of 0.91 ± 0.03 mg/g dry weight (DW) in the sample with whole sugar cane (C_z) and 2.69 ± 0.14 mg/g DW in the sample with Stevia sugar (C_s). Significant values of polyphenols were found, of 59.41 ± 1.13 mg GAE/g DW in C_z and 72.44 ± 2.31 mg GAE/g DW in C_s, leading to an antioxidant activity of 45.12 ± 0.001 μMol Trolox/g DW and 118.07 ± 0.01 μMol Trolox/g DW, respectively. Accelerated storage study showed a decrease in all the phytochemicals, however no significant changes were found in antioxidant activity. Values of <100 CFU/g for yeasts and molds and <5 CFU/g for Enterobacteriaceae after 21 days of storage at the room temperature of the marmalades were determined. The sensorial and color results were more than acceptable. Overall, the results highlighted the potential of using sea buckthorn as a potential rich source of bioactive compounds to be used in the sugar-based products manufacturing.

Different technological approaches were used in this study for the valorization of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) fruits in marmalade, jam, jelly, and nutraceuticals. Marmalade showed the highest concentrations of polyphenols (7.61 ± 0.05 mg gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight (DW)) and flavonoids (4.93 ± 0.22 mg catechin equivalents/g DW), whereas jam retained the highest content of anthocyanins (66.87 ± 1.18 mg cyanidin-3-O-glucoside equivalents/g DW). A good correlation between polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity was found, the highest value being 21.29 ± 1.36 mmol Trolox/g DW for marmalade. Alternatively, the fresh pulp was enriched with inulin, followed by inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, and freeze-dried, allowing a powder to be obtained with a viable cell content of 6.27 × 10⁷ CFU/g DW. A chromatographic analysis of blackthorn skin revealed that myricetin (2.04 ± 0.04 mg/g DW) was the main flavonoid, followed by (+)–catechin (1.80 ± 0.08 mg/g DW), (−)-epicatechin (0.96 ± 0.02 mg/g DW), and vanillic acid (0.94 ± 0.09 mg/g DW). The representative anthocyanins were cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-rutinoside, and peonidin 3-O-glucoside, with an average concentration of 0.75 mg/g DW. The skin extract showed comparable IC50 values for tyrosinase (1.72 ± 0.12 mg/mL), α-amylase (1.17 ± 0.13 mg/mL), and α-glucosidase (1.25 ± 0.26 mg/mL). The possible use of kernels as calorific agents was demonstrated through the evaluation of calorific power of 4.9 kWh/kg.

This study was focused on a comparative analysis of two drying methods, such as convective and infrared drying, on the red beetroot purées with lactic acid bacteria, as a strategy for tailoring the health benefits of the selected plant. For both varieties, the total betalain contents varied from 13.95 ± 0.14 mg/g dry weight in Beta vulgaris var. cylindra when compared with 11.09 ± 0.03 mg/g dry weight in Beta vulgaris var. vulgaris, whereas significant differences were found in total phenolic and flavonoid contents. Significant drying induced changes were found in selected bioactives, in terms of total betalains, flavonoids, and polyphenols, which influenced the antioxidant activities of the purées, structure, and color parameters. In general, infrared technology was more protective, leading to an increase of 20% in flavonoids content. One logarithmic decrease in cell viability was observed in all powders samples. After the in vitro digestion, the betalains decreased, in both gastric and intestinal simulated juices, with a more pronounced profile in infrared processed purées. Textural and rheological analysis of the dried purées highlighted that the infrared drying is milder compared to the conventional one, allowing us to obtain powders with enhanced functional properties, in terms of bioactives content, cell viability, color, and structural and rheological behavior.

Two main sources of fibers and bioactive compounds represented by pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) and quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) were selected for the present study. The current changes in consumers behavior oblige manufacturers to develop new assortments of ready-to-eat products, considering their nutritional characteristics. Hence, this study aimed to process free sugar pumpkin and quince puree using a combination of freezing (−15 °C) and cooking at 95 °C for 20 min. Four variants of purees were obtained by using different combinations between pumpkin and quince (pumpkin puree, quince puree, and pumpkin and quince puree in ratios of 1:1 and 3:1). The samples were characterized in terms of complex interconnected analysis, which could provide further information for the added-value products. Thus, highest values of β-carotene content were attributed to pumpkin puree (P −5.34 ± 0.05 mg/g DW) and pumpkin and quince puree 3:1 (PQ 3:1 −3.78 ± 0.014 mg/g DW). These findings are also supported by the values of ABTS inhibition, which was registered as 71.32% for the P sample and 76.25% for the PQ 3:1 sample. The textural analysis revealed firmness values of 1.27 N for pumpkin puree and 2.33 N for quince puree. Moreover, the structural changes were minimum, while the cellular structure and some tissues were preserved intact.

The rosehip fruits from Romanian spontaneous flora were valorized in three different customized variants, including jellified products, juices, and a nutraceutical. Prior to the technological design, the rosehip samples were characterized for individual polyphenolic content. The samples (non)-enzymatically treated showed epicatechin as the major compound, whereas the enzymatic treatment enhanced the extraction of quercetin (40.23 ± 0.48 mg/100 g DW extract), gallic acid (9.74 ± 0.24 mg/100 g DW extract), and kaempferol. Different ratios and types of sugars were added to obtain jellified products, leading to a significantly different bioactive profile. The sugar-free and steviol samples showed the highest content in carotenoids (89.36 ± 0.06 mg/g dry weight (DW) and 39.22 ± 1.16 mg/g DW, respectively), leading to the highest antioxidant activity (8.19 ± 0.80 mMol Trolox/g DW and 20.16 ± 0.31 mMol Trolox/g DW, respectively). The gelling capacity increased with the increase in sugar content. The enzymatically treated rosehip fruit pulp was mixed in various ratios with apple juice, followed by pasteurization. The polyphenolic content was approximately two times higher in the blended juices (20.75 ± 1.40 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 mL). The overall impression highlighted the preferences of panelists for sugar-free products, whereas adding apple juice significantly influenced their preferences. The fresh pulp was enhanced with pectin, followed by inoculation with Lactobacillus acidophilus, and freeze-dried showed satisfactory cell viability (approximately 7 log CFU/g DW), whereas an antidiabetic, anti-tyrosinase and anti-obesity potential of the powder was suggested. Our results provide enough evidence for customized processing of rosehip fruits in foods and nutraceuticals as a response to consumers’ choices, highlighting the bioactive compounds and nutrient contents, whereas selected in vitro health-related evidence was suggested.