The effect of different maturity stages on phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity of cranberry cultivars

Jan Oszmiański,Józef Gorzelany,Natalia Matłok,Sabina Lachowicz

doi:10.1007/s00217-017-2994-z

Abstract

The changes of polyphenols and triterpenoids in three cranberry cultivars (‘Pilgrim’, ‘Stevens’, and ‘Ben Lear)’ from different maturity stages, grown in Poland, were determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and photodiode detector-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Fifty-one bioactive compounds were identified in cranberry fruits, including 48 polyphenols (19 flavonols, 8 anthocyanins, 7 phenolic acids, and 14 flavan-3-ol oligomers) and 3 triterpenoids (betulinic, oleanolic, and ursolic acids). The concentrations of individual polyphenolic compounds during ripening were similar, whereas their values differed significantly. Immature fruits showed the lowest level of polyphenolic compounds, which increased in semi-mature cranberry fruits and did not change remarkably in commercially mature cranberry fruits. The quantity of phytochemical compounds during cranberry fruit ripening depended on cultivar, and the cultivar ‘Stevens’ had significantly higher concentrations of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity in comparison to the other tested cultivars.

Highlights

Cranberry fruits have gained interest as rich sources of prohealthy compounds, displaying high nutritive and biological value
Cranberry fruits were obtained from a horticultural farm in Nowiny, commune of Radomyśl nad Sanem, Podkarpackie Region, Poland (N: 50O41′59′′–50O42′5′′ E: 21O55′21′′–21O55′8′′)
Significant differences (p < 0.05) were revealed for the investigated basic chemical parameters among all cultivars grown in Poland

Summary

Introduction

Cranberry fruits have gained interest as rich sources of prohealthy compounds, displaying high nutritive and biological value. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals, organic acids, fiber, and sugars [1, 2]. The most important groups of phytochemical compounds in cranberry fruit are polyphenolic and triterpene compounds, exhibiting strong antioxidant properties and the ability to alleviate chronic diseases [3,4,5] and influence their sensory attributes [1, 6, 7]. The polyphenolics are the most widespread group of compounds in nature. They significantly affect the plant during its growth. Depending on the plant growth phase, the content of polyphenols varies. Triterpene compounds, on the other hand, are present in the resin, peel and cuticular waxes, and fruit and

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