Abstract
Lycium fruits (Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense) are mainly cultivated and distributed in Northwest China. The fruits and root bark have been used in Chinese traditional medicine for centuries. In this study, Lycium dry fruit extracts from the main cultivation areas in China together with a sample from Nepal were subjected to a comparative metabolic profiling, including total carbohydrate content, total phenolic content, vitamin C content, carotenoid content, and mineral contents. Results showed that there was a slight difference in contents of nutrients and phytochemicals among samples from different areas. The total carbohydrate content was higher in the sample from Guazhou, Gansu province (69.47%), with an average value of total carbohydrate content of 61.59%, while the highest total phenolic content value was 14.13 mgGAE/g from Nepal. Data concerning vitamin C content ranged between 33.15 and 113.8 mg/100 g, with an average value of 55.29 mg/100 g. Zeaxanthin dipalmitate content in Lycium dry fruits ranged from 419.34 to 1008.90 μg/g among the different samples, with the highest content (1008.90 μg/g) observed in Tianjing. It appeared that we could not clearly differentiate Lycium samples in terms of their metabolic and mineral profile. The quantitative difference observed among samples might be linked to soil composition and environmental aspect of the harvest place. Our results were somehow in the same range as those reported in the literature. Therefore, Lycium fruits could be used as a dietary source of natural function foods and be worthy of development and utilization.
Highlights
Lycium fruits (Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense), known as Chinese wolfberries or “gouqizi” in China, are solanaceous fruits that are largely cultivated in subtropical areas, mainly in Northwest China and other parts of Asia
A typical example that might be used as nutraceuticals or directly eaten in the diet to maintain good health, and this is due to bioactive molecules like polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and vitamins and minerals, which are mainly present in the fruits [6,7,8]
All the samples were analyzed for their macro- and micronutrients content. e nutrients chosen were reported to be responsible for the significant nutritive value and pharmacological activities of Lycium fruits (Liang, B. et al.)
Summary
Lycium fruits (Lycium barbarum, Lycium chinense), known as Chinese wolfberries or “gouqizi” in China, are solanaceous fruits that are largely cultivated in subtropical areas, mainly in Northwest China and other parts of Asia. Since product authenticity is an essential topic in the food sector and in the course of our continuing, quantify metabolites of biological importance from Lycium plants, in order to evaluate the use of the fruit extract as a food supplement, carbohydrate, phenolic, vitamin C, carotenoid, and mineral content of 13 samples of Lycium barbarum harvested in the three main production areas in China including semiarid (Ningxia, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia), plateau (Qinghai), and arid (Xinjiang) areas; a sample of Lycium chinense which is known to be exclusively cultivated in monsoon (Hebei) and a sample cultivated in Nepal were investigated and compared. E present work is to assess a quality control analysis for goji berries that could be used in food industry as a reference on the fruits
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