The Effect of Plant Additives on the Stability of Polyphenols in Dried Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) Fruit

Chokeberry fruit exhibits a high level of pro-health potential, associated with a significant amount of polyphenol content and antioxidant activity. The fruit is easily perishable and therefore needs to be processed in short order to ensure its availability throughout the year. For this purpose, the fruit is dried, which has an impact on the preservation of bioactive components such as polyphenols. In the study, chokeberry fruit was influenced by a suspension of spices, including clove and cinnamon, and subsequently dried using the freeze-drying, convection, and microwave radiation methods. Freeze-drying was concluded to be the most desirable method of drying, which preserves the largest amount of polyphenols while soaking fruit in a suspension of cinnamon or cloves accelerated the loss of anthocyanins during the storage period. The obtained test results may constitute a valuable source of information for manufacturers in designing new products with increased pro-health potential, whose properties result from the high content of polyphenols and other plant additives.