Abstract
Peel, pulp and seed extracts of three mandarin varieties, namely Phlegraean mandarin (Citrus reticulata), Kumquat (Citrus japonica), and Clementine (Citrus clementina) were compared and characterised in terms of photosynthetic pigment content, total polyphenols amount, antioxidant activity and vitamin C to assess the amount of functional compounds for each cultivar. The highest polyphenols content was found in the Phlegraean mandarin, especially in peel and seeds, whereas Kumquat exhibited the highest polyphenols amount in the pulp. The antioxidant activity was higher in the peel of Phlegraean mandarin and clementine compared to Kumquat, which showed the highest value in the pulp. The antioxidant activity peaked in the seeds of Phlegraean mandarin. The vitamin C in the Phlegraean mandarin was the highest in all parts of the fruit, especially in the seeds. Total chlorophyll content was comparable in the peel of different cultivars, in the pulp the highest amount was found in clementine, whereas kumquat seeds showed the greatest values. As regards total carotenoids, peel and pulp of clementine exhibited higher values than the other two cultivars, whereas the kumquat seeds were the richest in carotenoids. Among the analysed cultivars Phlegraean mandarin may be considered the most promising as a source of polyphenols and antioxidants, compared to the clementine and Kumquat, especially for the functional molecules found in the seeds. Moreover, regardless of cultivars this study also highlights important properties in the parts of the fruit generally considered wastes.
Highlights
In recent years, clinical trials and epidemiological studies have established an inverse correlation between the intake of fruits and vegetables and the occurrence of chronic diseases, the most prevalent causes of death in the world [1,2]
For a revaluation of citrus by-products, it would be appropriate to focus the attention on varieties with very different provenance and traits, in order to have an indication about the potential associated to the wastes of diverse cultivars. Starting from these considerations, the aim of this study was to determine the amount of specific functional compounds such as chlorophyll and carotenoid, total polyphenols, vitamin C as well as the antioxidant capacity in the pulp and in peel and seeds of three different cultivars of mandarin, namely Phlegraean mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco), Kumquat (Citrus japonica), and Clementine (Citrus × clementina)
Three cultivars of mandarins (Phlegraean mandarin, Citrus reticulata; Kumquat, Citrus japonica; and Clementina, Citrus clementina) collected in the seasons 2019–2020 were used in this study
Summary
Clinical trials and epidemiological studies have established an inverse correlation between the intake of fruits and vegetables and the occurrence of chronic diseases, the most prevalent causes of death in the world [1,2]. This protective effect has been ascribed to the antioxidant properties of different compounds, which coordinate and balance the body system to protect tissues and fluids from damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals [1,3,4]. They contain an appreciable amount of ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds [8,9,10,11] and even some essential minerals important for human nutrition [12,13,14]
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