Nutraceutical properties of wild berry fruits from Southern Italy

BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, such as berry fruits, reduces the risk of many chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutraceutical proprieties of wild and cultivated blackberry (Rubus sp.) and wild elderberry (Sambuca nigra) fruits produced in some regions of Southern Italy, such as Basilicata and Campania. METHODS: Liquid chromatography and HPLC-UV system were used for the identification and quantification of individual health-promoting compounds. RESULTS: A comparative analysis of nutraceutical compounds in berry fruits produced by different regions of South Italy showed a high significant variability inter species (p < 0.05), independently on location area, with higher values for wild than cultivated blackberries for the major part of compounds. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper, differences in the health-promoting compounds of berry fruits belonging from different areas of South Italy were reported.