Bioactive molecules in Canadian gooseberry and blackcurrant.

Wild berry varieties are widely distributed in Canada and mainly used by the indigenous population as food. Gooseberries and blackcurrant are the two tart berries with strong taste and used to make preserves such as jams, jellies, and wine. Fruits such as berries provide significant health benefits because of bioactive compounds and their high antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds and fatty acids are the predominant bioactive groups present in these berries. Recently researchers are on a quest for functional foods that benefit human health. Although wild berries are known for their health benefits, research evidence related to profiling of bioactive molecules in these wild berries such as Canadian gooseberry and blackcurrant is limited. These traditional wild berries may help to address the issues related to indigenous populations food insecurity and the chronic diseases. In this study we assessed and compared the bioactive phenolic and fatty acid composition in these two berries using liquid and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. The cyanidine glucoside, which is a polyphenolic anthocyanin present in blackcurrant is significantly higher compared to that in Canadian gooseberry. However, fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic, and alpha linolenic acid, which are important in cardiovascular health, are present in both blackcurrant and gooseberry. Further characterization of these berries for antioxidant activity, bio-accessibility, and bioavailability studies will unlock the value of these two type of wild berries to harness their full potential as functional food.