Study of ascorbic acid in commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables

Authors

  • Ain Raal University of Tartu, Estonia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8731-7366
  • Meos Andres University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Kreete-Lisett Remmelgas University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Anastasia Polubinskaja University of Tartu, Estonia
  • Yevheniia Koshova Municipal Institution “Kharkiv Lyceum No. 161 ‘Impulse’ of the Kharkiv City Council”; Miina Härma Gymnasium, Ukraine
  • Uliana Sikoryn Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5492-2025
  • Oleh Koshovyi University of Tartu; Zaporizhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9545-8548

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2025.346952

Keywords:

ascorbic acid, berries, fruits, vegetables, HPLC

Abstract

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is among the most essential and widely recognized compounds required for the healthy functioning of the human body. Consequently, vitamin C must be obtained through dietary sources or supplementation. Rich sources of ascorbic acid include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. It is advisable to investigate the content of ascorbic acid in the most common commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables using the European Pharmacopoeia HPLC method.

The aim. The aim of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of the ascorbic acid content in commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables on the Estonian market using the European Pharmacopoeia's HPLC method, and to identify the products richest in this vitamin. Such findings will enhance the knowledge of both consumers and researchers regarding the most promising dietary sources of vitamin C.

Materials and methods. Fifty-three samples of berries, fruits, and vegetables commercially available on the Estonian market have been studied. Quantitative analysis of ascorbic acid was performed using the HPLC method.

Results. This study evaluated the ascorbic acid content of commercially available and home-grown berries, fruits, and vegetables in Estonia. The highest levels were found in blackcurrants (70.6 ± 7 mg/100 g in garden samples and 53.3 ± 5 mg/100 g in market samples) and Sea buckthorn fruits (49 ± 6 mg/100 g (garden) and 43.8 ± 2 mg/100 g (market)). In general, home-grown berries and fruits were richer in ascorbic acid. Supermarket produce generally contained lower levels, although mandarins (24 mg/100 g) and red pepper (48 mg/100 g) were the richest sources. The study also demonstrated that the addition of dithiothreitol (DTT) makes the analytical results more informative. The experimental data obtained provide an overview and allow the ranking of commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables according to their ascorbic acid content.

Conclusions. A comparative analysis of ascorbic acid content in 53 berries, fruits, and vegetables from the Estonian market was conducted using the European Pharmacopoeia's HPLC method. The richest dietary sources of vitamin C have been identified, providing valuable insights for both consumers and researchers and supporting rational approaches to nutrition and dietetics

Supporting Agency

  • This work was supported by the European Union in the MSCA4Ukraine project “Design and development of 3D-printed medicines for bioactive materials of Ukrainian and Estonian medicinal plants origin” [ID number 1232466].

Author Biographies

Ain Raal, University of Tartu

PhD, Professor

Institute of Pharmacy

Meos Andres, University of Tartu

PhD, Associate Professor

Institute of Pharmacy

Kreete-Lisett Remmelgas, University of Tartu

Master Student of Pharmacy

Institute of Pharmacy

Anastasia Polubinskaja, University of Tartu

Master Student of Pharmacy

Institute of Pharmacy

Uliana Sikoryn, Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University

PhD, Associate Professor

Department of Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analysis and Postgraduate Education

Oleh Koshovyi, University of Tartu; Zaporizhia State Medical and Pharmaceutical University

Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor

Institute of Pharmacy

Professor

Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmacotherapy, Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

References

  1. Gęgotek, A., Skrzydlewska, E. (2023). Ascorbic acid as antioxidant. Vitamins and hormones. Elsevier, 247–270.
  2. Hoffer, A. (1989). The discovery of vitamin C: Albert Szent-Györgyi, M.D., Ph.D. 1893–1986. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 4 (1), 24–26.
  3. May, J. M., Harrison, F. E. (2013). Role of Vitamin C in the Function of the Vascular Endothelium. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 19 (17), 2068–2083. https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2013.5205
  4. Ströhle, A., Hahn, A. (2009). Vitamin C and immune function. Medizinische Monatsschrift für Pharmazeuten, 32 (1), 49–54.
  5. Crisan, D., Roman, I., Scharffetter-Kochanek, K., Crisan, M., & Badea, R. (2015). The role of vitamin C in pushing back the boundaries of skin aging: an ultrasonographic approach. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 8, 463–470. https://doi.org/10.2147/ccid.s84903
  6. Juraschek, S. P., Guallar, E., Appel, L. J., Miller, E. R. (2012). Effects of vitamin C supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95 (5), 1079–1088. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.027995
  7. Ang, A., Pullar, J. M., Currie, M. J., Vissers, M. C. M. (2018). Vitamin C and immune cell function in inflammation and cancer. Biochemical Society Transactions, 46 (5), 1147–1159. https://doi.org/10.1042/bst20180169
  8. Lamarche, J., Nair, R., Peguero, A., Courville, C. (2011). Vitamin C-Induced Oxalate Nephropathy. International Journal of Nephrology, 2011, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/146927
  9. Carr, A., Maggini, S. (2017). Vitamin C and Immune Function. Nutrients, 9 (11), 1211. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211
  10. Nowak, D. (2021). Vitamin C in Human Health and Disease. Nutrients, 13 (5), 1595. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051595
  11. Lee, W. J. (2019). Vitamin C in human health and disease: Effects, mechanisms of action, and new guidance on intake. Springer Dordrecht, 184. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1713-5
  12. Doseděl, M., Jirkovský, E., Macáková, K., Krčmová, L., Javorská, L., Pourová, J. et al. (2021). Vitamin C—Sources, Physiological Role, Kinetics, Deficiency, Use, Toxicity, and Determination. Nutrients, 13 (2), 615. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020615
  13. Granger, M., Eck, P. (2018). Dietary vitamin C in human health. Advances in food and nutrition research. Elsevier, 281–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.afnr.2017.11.006
  14. Vlasova, I., Gontova, T., Grytsyk, L., Zhumashova, G., Sayakova, G., Boshkayeva, A. et al. (2022). Determination of standardization parameters of Oxycoccus macrocarpus (Ait.) Pursh and Oxycoccus palustris Pers. Leaves. ScienceRise: Pharmaceutical Science, 3 (37), 48–57. https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2022.260352
  15. Paciolla, C., Fortunato, S., Dipierro, N., Paradiso, A., De Leonardis, S., Mastropasqua, L.,de Pinto, M. C. (2019). Vitamin C in Plants: From Functions to Biofortification. Antioxidants, 8 (11), 519. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8110519
  16. Belwal, T., Devkota, H. P., Hassan, H. A., Ahluwalia, S., Ramadan, M. F., Mocan, A., Atanasov, A. G. (2018). Phytopharmacology of Acerola ( Malpighia spp. ) and its potential as functional food. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 74, 99–106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2018.01.014
  17. Ain, R., Meos, A., Vutt, A., Kirsimäe, H., Ilina, Т., Kovaleva, A., Koshovyi, O. (2024). The content and stability of ascorbic acid in commercial food supplements. ScienceRise: Pharmaceutical Science, 5 (51), 28–37. https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2024.313637
  18. European Pharmacopoeia (2022). Strasbourg: Council of Europe.
  19. Golubitskii, G. B., Budko, E. V., Basova, E. M., Kostarnoi, A. V., Ivanov, V. M. (2007). Stability of ascorbic acid in aqueous and aqueous-organic solutions for quantitative determination. Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 62 (8), 742–747. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1061934807080096
  20. Meos, A., Zaharova, I., Kask, M., Raal, A. (2017). Content of Ascorbic Acid in Common Cowslip (Primula veris L.) Compared to Common Food Plants and Orange Juices. Acta Biologica Cracoviensia s. Botanica, 59 (1), 113–120. https://doi.org/10.1515/abcsb-2016-0020
  21. Raal, A., Nisuma, K., Meos, A. (2018). Pinus sylvestris L. and other conifers as natural sources of ascorbic acid. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research, 6 (2), 89–95. https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres17.287_6.2.89
  22. Vinogradov, M., Arus, L., Raal, A., Meos, A., Starast, M. (2020). Physio-chemical characteristics of strawberry and raspberry: comparison of local and commercial cultivars with their wild relatives in Estonia. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, 69 (3), 197–207. https://doi.org/10.3176/proc.2020.3.03
  23. Hägg, M., Ylikoski, S., Kumpulainen, J. (1995). Vitamin C Content in Fruits and Berries Consumed in Finland. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 8 (1), 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1006/jfca.1995.1003
Study of ascorbic acid in commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables

Downloads

Published

2025-12-30

How to Cite

Raal, A., Andres, M., Remmelgas, K.-L., Polubinskaja, A., Koshova, Y., Sikoryn, U., & Koshovyi, O. (2025). Study of ascorbic acid in commercially available edible berries, fruits, and vegetables. ScienceRise: Pharmaceutical Science, (6 (58), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.15587/2519-4852.2025.346952

Issue

No. 6 (58) (2025)

Section

Pharmaceutical Science

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Ain Raal, Meos Andres, Kreete-Lisett Remmelgas, Anastasia Polubinskaja, Yevheniia Koshova, Uliana Sikoryn, Oleh Koshovyi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Our journal abides by the Creative Commons CC BY copyright rights and permissions for open access journals.