Nistor, Doru-IonMarc, Romina-AlinaVlassa, MihaelaRafila Filip, MiuțaUngur, RodicaCrivei, IoanaMureșan, Crina-Carmen2026-10-262026-10-262026-09-07https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019452226006862https://repository.iuls.ro/handle/20.500.12811/7155The aim of the present study was to investigate the dynamic changes of bioactive polyphenols, organic acid profile and antioxidant activities of Mespilus germanica L. during ripening. The ability of (Mosmon) fruits and leaves were assessed during the post-harvest bletting process. Four harvest stages of fruit and leaves were sampled between October and November 2025 for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), radical scavenging activities (DPPH, ABTS) and individual phytochemical profiles. The leaves showed significantly higher bioactive yields than fruits, with higher TPC (171.88 mg GAE/100 g), TFC (1590.98 mg catechin/100 g), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH: 9621.15 μmol TE/100 g; ABTS: 9407.08 μmol TE/100 g). Mid-to-late October (October 19-31) was the best time to harvest for the highest level of phytochemicals in both tissues. The organic acids were the most abundant in both tissues (1059.4 μg/g malic acid in leaves and 269.8 μg/g malic acid in fruits) but malic acid was not the only organic acids found in the leaves, with citric and fumaric acids also present, showing that there is a higher metabolic diversity in leaves. On the other hand, fruits contained high levels of certain high value phenolics such as rutin (169.78 mg/100 g), catechin (55.43 mg/100 g) and chlorogenic acid (43.64 mg/100 g). In general, leaves of M. germanica collected in the end of October can be considered as an innovative, reproducible and sustainable source of ingredients for functional foods, whereas fruits can be considered as a source of targeted polyphenols.enxxMosmonFruitLeafBioactiveTotal phenolic contentTotal flavonoid contentHPLCArticle2667-2847https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jics.2026.103083