Berry and fruit wines as a source of a natural antioxidants

Introduction. For centuries, grapes have been used for traditional medical
purposes, preventing or treating diseases such as nausea, diarrhoea, gastroenteritis, skin disorders. More recently, the therapeutic effect of red wine has been reported, and moderate intake has been related to improved blood lipid parameters, endothelial dysfunctions, platelet aggregation, and other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases [1]. While there is a significant number of studies on grape wines and their participation in the regulation of RedOx homeostasis, the number of publications on berry and fruit wines, whose basic processes are similar to grape juice production and fermentation, is small.
Objective. Our interest was to find out whether the antioxidants in the juice and
wine fermented from this juice have remained at the original level.
Methods and materials. Berry and fruit juices, prepared for wine fermentation,
as well as finished wine samples were received from the winery “Pūces vīni”. To
characterize the antioxidant and antiradical capacity in juices and relevant wines,
we determined the polyphenol content using the Folin-Ciocalteu method [2],
while the antiradical capacity was determined using the DPPH method [3],
and the antioxidant activity – using the FRAP method [4]. The data obtained in
the study were processed and analysed using Ms Excel program.
Results and conclusions. Blackcurrant, redcurrant, apple, rhubarb, gooseberry
homemade juices, and their respective wines have been analysed. The highest
concentration of polyphenol concentration, antiradical capacity, and antioxidant
activity was determined in the blackcurrant juice and wine, while the lowest
was observed in the rhubarb juice and wine. Similarly, there was no reduction
in antiradical activity (DPPH) or antioxidant capacity (FRAP) in the wine
fermentation process of the respective juices. To conclude, various berry and fruit wines are a particular source of phenolic compounds that, besides antioxidant and antiradical properties, also possess other important health benefits.