Emerging Approaches for Enhancing Nutritional Quality of Berries

In modern society, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the relationship between food consumption and health benefits. A growing body of evidence indicates that different food components can exert a positive effect on physiological processes throughout life. Foods with high content of bioactive compounds have been shown to have a central role in the prevention of chronic diseases by exercising specific biological activities. Plant-based products represent the most consumed food in the world, regardless of culture, location, and economic situation. Therefore, the development of novel plant-based food products with improved nutritional properties, through conventional and/or molecular breeding techniques, could have a major impact on improving the health of the population. The increase of micro/macronutrients and the decrease of antinutrient levels are considered the main objectives of many genetic improvement programs for the improvement of the nutritional value of plants. Among the products of plant origin, berries, in addition to their attractive color, taste, and aroma, are a natural source of many different nutrients and are very important in a balanced diet. They usually do not contain cholesterol, while they present high amounts of water and low calories associated with the absence of lipids (with the exception of some species). Berries are also rich in secondary metabolites (e.g. polyphenols, carotenoids, and tocopherols), which possess many health properties, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Furthermore, the fruits are characterized by antioxidant activities that contribute significantly to extinguishing the so-called reactive oxygen species (ROS), protecting lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids from oxidation, and reducing the occurrence of various related diseases and disorders. Therefore, it is evident that improving the amount of micro and macronutrients in berries, as well as reducing the content of unwanted compounds, could bring many health benefits to the consumer, even with less food consumption.

Currently, several strategies have been applied to modify the content of bioactive compounds in food. Many improved varieties have been developed through interspecific hybridization, using wild species to expand the breeding pool available for the introgression of traits of interest during the early stages of crossing. The research was stimulated to find new methodologies and technologies capable of amplifying the variability of the starting gene pool, shortening the breeding processes, and facilitating the combination of traits of interest in the new progeny.

In this collection, excellent Original Research and Review articles relating to the increase in the nutritional quality of berries are welcome, intended as an increase in nutritional compounds (macro-microelements and secondary metabolites) or a reduction in anti-nutritional compounds (such as toxins and allergens). Areas of research to be covered are, but are not limited to:
• Identification and definition of high-quality genotypes through the implementation of high throughput genotyping and phenotyping tools;
• Identification of genes affecting nutritional and antioxidant compounds through i.e. QTL mapping,
association studies and/or functional genomics;
• Application of conventional breeding techniques and/or new molecular and biotechnological tools (i.e. CRISPR-Cas) for the improvement of berry nutritional quality;
• Valorization of wild genetic resources and landraces as possible sources of bioactive compounds;
• Field and post-harvest management for increasing/preserving the nutritional quality of berry fruits

Please note that descriptive studies and those defining gene families or descriptive collection of transcripts, proteins, or metabolites, will not be considered for review unless they are expanded and provide mechanistic and/or physiological insights into the biological system or process being studied.