2019 ASHS Annual Conference

The rise of a health-conscious population has increased the demand for healthy foods. One such food is berries which includes aronia (Aronia prunifolia), blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), blackberry (Rubus spp.) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus). In 2018, these berries were harvested at Virginia State University Randolph Farms and stored in a freezer. In January of 2019, samples were desiccated. Three lab tests were conducted on each of berry samples: a total phenolic content analysis, a DPPH assay, and an ABTS antioxidant assay. In all three of the tests, aronia berries produced the highest antioxidant activity and phenolic content with a significant statistical difference (p-value 0.001). Blackberry, had higher antioxidant and phenolic level than raspberry and blueberry. Raspberry showed significant difference with blueberry only at the DPPH assay. Thus, while aronia had the highest phenolic and antioxidant activity, blackberry also qualified as a healthy berry with antioxidant properties for health-conscious consumers.