Both the blueberry fruits and whole juice presented good
stability with respect to their antioxidant capacity during cold
storage, after remaining frozen for a long period and under
refrigeration for shorter periods, with little loss of their antioxidant
properties. On the other hand, there were significant losses of
anthocyanins, possibly due to oxidation and/or condensation
reactions with other phenolic compounds. This difference allowed
for the inference that the other phenolic compounds, or an
association of these with the anthocyanin degradation products,
were responsible for maintaining the antioxidant activity and even
increasing it during storage. Nevertheless, preventative measures,
such as prior blanching and/or the use of vacuum packaging, are
recommended. However, further studies are required in order to
optimize the storage time and temperature for such products in
relation to their functional properties, as also to identify the
compounds formed by the co-pigmentation phenomenon, since
they are probably compounds with high antioxidant activity.