Routine quality parameters reflect metabolic organization in black chokeberry juice

Topalović, Ana (author), Knežević, Mirko (author), Krošelj, Saša (author), Mikulič Petkovšek, Maja (author)

Black chokeberry juice is among the most phenolic-rich berry beverages; however, it remains unclear whether routine physicochemical quality parameters reflect its underlying metabolic organization. This study examined whether simplified quality measurements capture coordinated biochemical patterns in chokeberry juice. A comprehensive metabolite dataset, including primary metabolites (sugars and organic acids) and 46 individual phenolic compounds, was obtained using liquid chromatography-based methods. Routine quality parameters, including pH, total soluble solids (TSS), electrical conductivity, and UV–Vis absorbance at four wavelengths, were determined under standard conditions. The juice had high TSS (23.1 °Brix) and an acidic pH (3.55). Sorbitol, fructose, and glucose were the dominant sugars, while malic acid was the predominant organic acid. Total phenolics reached 9482 mg L−1, including 6801 mg L−1 anthocyanins. Multivariate analysis revealed a structured metabolic pattern characterized by a sugar–acid gradient and a coordinated phenolic axis, with anthocyanins forming a distinct pigment-related component. Stepwise regression indicated that TSS was associated with primary metabolic gradients, whereas pH was associated with structural phenolic organization. Canonical correlation analysis confirmed a shared latent dimension linking routine physicochemical parameters with metabolite-derived factors. These findings suggest that routine quality parameters reflect coordinated metabolic patterns within the investigated dataset and may support simplified quality assessment of phenolic-rich berry juices.

• Language: English
• Keywords: chokeberry juice, primary metabolites, phenolic profile, routine quality parameters, multivariate data analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 158, art. 109424
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-186525
• UDC: 634
• ISSN on article: 0889-1575
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2026.109424
• COBISS.SI-ID: 289804547
• Publication date in RUL: 02.09.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of food composition and analysis
• Shortened title: J. food compos. anal.
• Publisher: Academic Press
• ISSN: 0889-1575
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25742848

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: aronija, sok aronije, primarni metaboliti, kemična sestava, bioaktivne spojine, sekundarni metaboliti, fenolne spojine