Processing and Storage Effect on Berry Polyphenols: Challenges and Implications for Bioactive Properties

Anthocyanins and tannins in blueberries, blackberries and black raspberries are susceptible to degradation during processing, with juices showing the greatest losses due to physical removal of skins and seeds. Anthocyanins and procyanidins are also degraded in processed products stored at ambient temperature with losses accompanied by increased polymeric pigments (PPs). Using chokeberry as a model, formation of PPs occurred in both pasteurized and aged juices and pasteurized juice contained a greater proportion of low molecular weight PPs than aged juice, while aged juice contained a greater proportion of higher molecular PPs. Formation of PP accounts for some of the losses of anthocyanins and procyanidins during processing and storage, but the complete fate of anthocyanins remains unclear. In this review we highlight the steps in processing where significant losses of polyphenols occur, and discuss potential mechanisms responsible for losses, methods to mitigate losses, and implications on bioactive properties.