Assessment of Physicochemical and Bioactive Properties of Fresh and Dried Sweet Cherry Fruit

In this study, the changes in the pH, water soluble dry matter (TSSM), color, total phenolic substance and antioxidant activity of cherry ( Prunus avium ) grown in Giresun by drying in laboratory type oven at three different temperatures (40, 50, 60 ° C) were investigated. The total phenolic content was determined by Folin-Ciocalteu spectrophotometric method and the results were expressed as Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE). The antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS + radical scavenging activity and the results were expressed as Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC). It was determined that the total drying time decreased as the drying temperature increased, and the cherry flesh samples dried in a shorter time than the whole cherry samples. It was found that the pH of the whole cherry and cherry flesh samples dried at different drying temperatures varied in the range of 4.08-4.45. When the color changes of the cherry samples during drying were examined, it was determined that L * values were not significantly affected by the increase of drying temperature but a * value increased and b * values decreased. After drying, the total phenolic substances in the extracts of flesh and whole cherry were found to be 362.58-347.26 mg GAE / 100g and 372.49-355.17 mg GAE / 100g, respectively. Antioxidant activity values were determined as 14.70-20.59 μM trolox/g dry sample and 15.51-27.46 μM trolox/g dry sample respectively in flesh and whole cherry extracts. Because of the exposure of the cherry samples to the high temperature and oxygen during drying, the total phenolic content and consequently the antioxidant activity of the cherry samples decreased in both whole cherry and cherry flesh sample