Chemical composition, anthocyanins, non-anthocyanin phenolics and antioxidant activity of wild bilberry (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz) from Colombia

Berries of Vaccinium meridionale Swartz native to Colombia were analysed for chemical composition, total phenolic content, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity. In addition, high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC–DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI–MS/MS) were used to determine anthocyanin and phenolic composition. Anthocyanin content was 329.0 ± 28.0 mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g (fresh weight) FW and total phenolic content was 758.6 ± 62.3 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g FW. Cyanidin 3-galactoside was the major anthocyanin while the most abundant non-anthocyanin phenolic was chlorogenic acid.The ABTS radical scavenging activity was 45.5 ± 2.3 μmol Trolox equivalents/g FW and the ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) value was 87.0 ± 17.8 μmol TE/g FW or 116.0 ± 23.7 μmol ferric iron reduced/g FW.The unique anthocyanin composition of this fruit, as identified by classical techniques and ESI–MS/MS, can be differentiated from other bilberries and perhaps useful in authentification procedures. Overall, results from this study show that the fruit from Colombian wild bilberry has high antioxidant activity and potential applications as a source of phytochemicals in the nutraceutical and functional food market.