Original scientific paper

Development, quality assessment, and antioxidant properties of fruit gels made from cornelian cherries

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Abstract

This research aimed to: a) explore how to produce fruit gels of consistent quality using cornelian cherry and different gelling agents, b) assess the nutritional and sensory qualities of the gels, and c) analyze their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. Agar and pectin were tested as gelling agents to modify gel consistency. To achieve high-quality fruit gels, the study monitored the sensory attributes and quality parameters of the samples and adjusted the recipe accordingly. When the appropriate quality was achieved, the selected samples were subjected to more detailed analyses: basic chemical properties (moisture, soluble dry matter, total sugars, total ash, total acidity, and pH), sensory qualities (appearance, color, consistency, aroma, and taste), and the content of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity. The samples produced with 1.4% agar (GA4) and 1.2% pectin (GP3) had the highest quality with a moderately firm and homogeneous consistency suitable for bakery and confectionery applications. The agar-based fruit gel had significantly higher levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins, as well as higher antioxidant activity compared to the pectin-based gel.

Keywords: cornelian cherry, gelling agents, quality, bioactivity