Serviceberry, a berry fruit with growing interest of industry: Physicochemical and quali-quantitative health-related compound characterisation

Amelanchier canadensis (L.) Medik., commonly called serviceberry, is a potential functional food that is also used for its medicinal purposes. This work evaluated the potential of a cultivated serviceberry species as a functional food by characterising its physicochemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity, vitamin C, phenolics and other phytochemicals selected as health-promoting biomarkers, using high-performance liquid chromatography. The most important compound class identified was polyphenols (62.10%), followed by organic acids (22.63%), monoterpenes (7.95%), and vitamins (7.32%). Results showed that serviceberry fruits could be good sources of phenolic constituents, as catechins (343.46 ± 29.46 mg/100 g(FW)), anthocyanins (220.66 ± 17.43 mg/100 g(FW)), and tannins (209.29 ± 7.81 mg/100 g(FW)) (FW = fresh weight). These results highlight the potential role of A. canadensis fruits as a functional food. Further studies are needed to identify several genotypes for breeding to get suitable cultivars for fresh consumption and processing.