Determination of Carotenoids and Their Antioxidant Activity in Fruits of Selected Species from the Genus Rubus and Their Cultivars and Hybrids from Poland Versus Other Regions of the World

The subject of the study were carotenoids, especially xantophylls in the fruits of various species/cultivars of raspberries, including those cultivated in Poland and those originating from other regions of the world (China, Finland): Rubus occidentalis (5 cultivars); Rubus idaeus (2 cultivars red fruited and 3 cultivars yellow fruited); Rubus chamaemorus; and Rubus chingii and hybrids: R. occidentalis/R. idaeus (2) and R. idaeus/R. occidentalis (1). Based on spectrophotometric analysis, the highest carotenoid content was found in cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) fruits, while the lowest was recorded for black raspberry cultivars. Similar carotenoid content results were obtained using thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The xantophyll profiles in the plant material studied were characterized—depending on the species/cultivar or hybrid—by the presence of β-apo-10′-luteinal, trans-lutein, and zeaxanthin. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the obtained hexane–acetone extracts were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, as well as using the TLC-DB with DPPH radical. bioautography test.