Abstract
Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), a popular and widely cultivated fruit world-wide, contains bioactive compounds responsible for their health benefits. Here we report the amounts of some bioactive compounds: two major triterpenes (oleanolic and ursolic acids) and polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonoids and t-resveratrol), together with bioactive properties of twelve apple cultivars measured by chromatographic and spectrophotometric methods. Significant variations were found comparing the bioactive potential of the investigated cultivars. High contents of phenolic acids were identified in the Montuan, Golden Delicious and Cretesc cultivars, while the most flavonoid dominant was the Richard cultivar. Starkrimson, Jonatan, Beliy Naliv and Richard cultivars present higher antioxidant capacity. Oleanolic acid ranged from 11 to 83 mg/g apple extract, while ursolic acid ranged from 55 to 436 mg/g apple extract, with higher amounts in Richard and Montuan cultivars. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) allowed the discrimination of apple cultivars depending on polyphenolic and triterpene acids composition. Caffeic acid, gallic acid and epicatechin were identified as the main bioactive compounds in Starkrimson, Jonathan, Beliy Naliv and Richard cultivars, while ursolic and oleanolic acids were identified in high amounts in Richard, Montuan, Golden Delicious, Idared and Beliy Naliv apple cultivars. The results obtained in this study will contribute to the understanding of the bioactive composition of apples as well as the importance of their capitalization to obtain value-added products that promote human health.
Highlights
Originating somewhere between the Caspian and the Black Seas, the apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most extensively produced and consumed fruits worldwide [1], being available on the market for the whole year and, representing the main source of polyphenols in human diet [2,3]
For each quantified phenolic compound, the recovery rates were between 65–75% for phenolic acids, 67–85% for flavonoids and 94% for t-resveratrol, while the precision values were
Our results showed that t-resveratrol, Delicious from Romania, Montuan and Gloster cultivars being located on the right side chlorogenic and 3,4-dyhydroxibenzoic acids, catechin together with Total polyphenols (TP) and Antioxidant capacity (AC) could be and Starkrimson, Beliy Naliv, Cretesc, Spartan, Jonathan and Golden Delicious from Re suggested as polyphenolic markers of the Starkrimson cultivar, while ferulic acid and public epicatechin of Moldova at the polyphenolic left side of markers the PC1ofaxis
Summary
Originating somewhere between the Caspian and the Black Seas, the apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is one of the most extensively produced and consumed fruits worldwide [1], being available on the market for the whole year and, representing the main source of polyphenols in human diet [2,3]. Consumer awareness of the relationship between food and health has led to an increased demand for the consumption of foods rich in antioxidants (like polyphenols) and triterpene acids because of their preventative effect against many diseases. It is known that phenolic compounds occur in plants in the form of glycosides or esterified with carboxylic acids, and apples have the highest number of free phenolics, among other edible fruits [8]. Phenolic compounds which occur in apples can be divided into several groups: hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, dihydrochalcones, and anthocyanins [10]. Flavonols and anthocyanins are usually found in the peel, while flavanols, dihydrochalcones and hydroxycinnamic acids are the major polyphenol groups found in the apple flesh [11]
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