Comprehensive Phenolic Profiling, Antioxidant Bioactivity, and Pomological Evaluation of Wild Rosehip (Rosa spp.) Samples

Wild rosehip (Rosa spp.) fruits are recognized as rich sources of bioactive compounds; however, their quality traits and phenolic profiles can vary considerably. In this study, five composite samples representing four wild Rosa taxa, identified and classified based on botanical morphological traits, collected from Artvin, Türkiye, were evaluated for pomological characteristics, color (L*, a*, b*), total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, total phenolics (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP), and targeted phenolic profiles via HPLC–PDA screened against 26 phenolic standards. Significant differences were observed among the analyzed composite samples. Ascorbic acid, TPC, and TFC ranged from 78 to 211 mg/100 g FW, 905 to 2902 mg/100 g FW, and 115 to 510 mg/100 g FW, respectively, with FRAP values spanning 1.71–4.39 µmol Trolox/g FW and DPPH (SC50) values of 3.89–17.15 mg/mL. Among the compounds, six were detected and quantified, with ellagic and gallic acids present across all samples, whereas catechin and epicatechin showed marked sample-specific distribution. Notably, samples morphologically identified as R. pimpinellifolia (RS4 and RS5) exhibited the highest phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. These results establish baseline quality data for wild rosehips, demonstrating that R. pimpinellifolia represents a prime candidate for nutraceutical exploitation.