Longitudinal metabolomic profiling of rosehips from six wild Rosa species grown under common-garden conditions: ripening dynamics, taste-associated metabolites, and antioxidant profile

An integrated metabolomic approach combining 1 H NMR spectroscopy and LC–DAD–ESI–MS/MS characterized rosehip development in six individuals, each representing a wild Rosa species grown under common-garden conditions. Longitudinal NMR profiling was complemented by LC–MS comparison of the initial and final ripening stages. Ripening generally involved increased sugars and organic acids and decreased amino acids, alongside marked individual-specific trajectories. Among-individual variation was also observed in nitrogen-related metabolites, particularly arginine and asparagine. LC–MS revealed differentiated phenolic profiles, with R. gallica showing the widest range of detected flavonoids. OPLS-DA separated immature and mature samples and indicated changes in flavonoid conjugation and ellagic acid-related constituents. Complementary DPPH, TEAC, FRAP, and ORAC assays showed the highest in vitro antioxidant capacity in the investigated R. gallica material. These findings reveal shared ripening-associated changes alongside substantial phytochemical diversity and provide a framework for evaluating wild rosehip materials for food applications.