Berries as Source of Bioactive Compounds

Abstract

Berries are rich in phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds, secondary metabolites of plants, exhibit a wide range of biological functions, such as antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, which are beneficial for human health. Fruits peel, a waste generated during juice elaboration, comprises nearly around 30-40% portion of the fruit. Phenolic compounds are primarily concentrated in the peel portion of berries fruit. Berries and their fruit peels are an economic source of bioactive phenolic compounds having immense possibilities for future investigations related with their utilization as well as recovery. This review summarizes the reported about quantitative and qualitative data of phenolic compositions in different types of berries and its wastes during juice elaboration. Furthermore, biological activities, including antioxidant, antihypertensive, antimicrobial and anti-metabolic disorder effects, have also been discussed.