Antioxidant Activity Of Fruits Research Articles

Non-Polar Fraction Constituents, Phenolic Acids, Flavonoids and Antioxidant Activity in Fruits from Florina Apple Variety Grown under Different Agriculture Management

Abstract The effect of agricultural management on non-polar compounds, phenolic acids, flavonoids and antioxidant properties in apple fruit of Florina variety was studied. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using four assays (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and CUPRAC), based on different mechanisms. The current research demonstrated that organically grown apple fruits yielded significantly higher levels of total phenolics, unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant activity than apples from the conventional conditions. Seven representatives of phenolic acids (gallic, p-coumaric, chlorogenic, vanillic, caffeic, syringic and salicylic) and four flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, catechin and epicatechin) were found in fruits. Chlorogenic, vanillic, salicylic, caffeic acids and catechin were dominated in apples grown in organic orchards. Epicatechin, gallic and syringic acids were in the highest content in conventionally grown sward apples. The highest correlation (r2>0.99) was found between total polyphenols and antioxidant activity by three methods (DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods). As a result of the organically grown conditions, the quality of the fruits of the Florina apple variety is improved based on the accumulation of bioactive compounds with antioxidant activity. Moreover, thirty-nine volatile components (saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, fatty alcohols, phytosterols and triterpenes) were detected in non-polar apple fraction. Palmitoleic, palmitelaidic, oleic, elaidic, (13E)-octadecenoic, (13Z)-octadecenoic, (11Z)-eicosenoic and (13Z)-eicosenoic, linoleic acid and linolenic acid and ursolic and oleanolic acid acetates dominated in organic apple orchards. Therefore, organic apple provided more phenolic acids, unsaturated fatty acids, ursolic and oleanolic acid acetates and catechin for healthy human nutrition. Keywords: Apples, Antioxidants, Anthocyanins, Organical And Conventional Growing Conditions, Polyphenolic and non-polar compounds

Bioactive and nutritional compounds in fruits of pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L.) landraces conserved among indigenous communities from Mexico

<abstract> <p>Farmers' varieties or landraces of chili are regularly heterogeneous, selected and preserved by small traditional farmers and highly demanded by regional consumers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in the content of phenolic compounds, vitamin C, carotenoids, capsaicinoids and antioxidant activity in fruits of a population collection of the landraces Huacle and De Agua, which originated in Oaxaca, Mexico, and a commercial variety of Jalapeño (control). The collection was grown in greenhouse conditions under a random block design. At harvest, a sample of ripe fruits was obtained to evaluate the content of phenolic compounds, vitamin C and antioxidant activity by UV–visible spectrophotometry and the concentration of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin was measured by high-resolution liquid chromatography. Significant differences were observed between the Huacle and De Agua landraces and between these and Jalapeño. The studied fruits exhibit the following pattern for flavonoid and carotenoid contents: Huacle > De Agua > Jalapeño. The opposite pattern was observed for total polyphenol and vitamin C contents: Jalapeño > De Agua > Huacle. The general pattern for capsaicinoids in fruits was Jalapeño > De Agua > Huacle. Huacle and De Agua populations showed high variability in all compounds evaluated, with positive correlations with antioxidant activity. The capsaicin content in Huacle populations varied ranging from 7.4 to 26.2 mg 100 g<sup>-1</sup> and De Agua ranged from 12.4 to 46.8 mg 100 g<sup>-1</sup>.</p> </abstract>

Effect of bio control agents and botanical extracts on antioxidant activity in chilli fruits

Chilli fruit are good antioxidant sources and hold promise as natural ingredients in functional foods. Many other types of carotenoids accumulate in the fruit during the ripening process, for example, β-carotene, violaxanthin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. The present experiment was carried out to Effect of bio control agents and botanical extracts on antioxidant activity in chilli fruits. Chilli seedlings were treated with individually and in combination with effective bio control agents and botanical extracts in field condition applied as seedling treatment and foliar spray. Efficacy of botanical extract and bio control agents on antioxidant activity of fruits of chilli plant applied seedling treatment and foliar spray with T. Viride + P. Fluorescens + Neem + Garlic showed higher β-carotene and capsaicin content in chilli fruits in comparison to control. Maximum β-carotene (3.56 mg/mL) and capsaicin (2831.67µg/g) content were recorded in chilli fruits respectively. These antioxidants sources are responses to disease resistant against pathogen and benefiting the digestive tracts, promote healthy heart, relieve joint pains, promote weight loss, mitigate migraine, reduce cancer risk, prevent allergies etc.

Application of Chemometric Techniques In The Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Fruit From Brazilian Cerrado

Application of Chemometric Techniques In The Evaluation of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Fruit From Brazilian Cerrado

Phenotypic variation and epigenetic insight into tissue culture berry crops.

Berry crops, a nutrient powerhouse for antioxidant properties, have long been enjoyed as a health-promoting delicious food. Significant progress has been achieved for the propagation of berry crops using tissue culture techniques. Although bioreactor micropropagation has been developed as a cost-effective propagation technology for berry crops, genetic stability can be a problem for commercial micropropagation that can be monitored at morphological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Somaclonal variations, both genetic and epigenetic, in tissue culture regenerants are influenced by different factors, such as donor genotype, explant type and origin, chimeral tissues, culture media type, concentration and combination of plant growth regulators, and culture conditions and period. Tissue culture regenerants in berry crops show increased vegetative growth, rhizome production, and berry yield, containing higher antioxidant activity in fruits and leaves that might be due to epigenetic variation. The present review provides an in-depth study on various aspects of phenotypic variation in micropropagated berry plants and the epigenetic effects on these variations along with the role of DNA methylation, to fill the existing gap in literature.

A comparative study of the content of some antioxidants in the fruits of autochthonous pomegranate varieties

The contents of total phenolics, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, and the fruit antioxidant activity of 9 pomegranate varieties (‘Zumnarija’, ‘Bejnarija’, ‘Valandovska kisela’, ‘Valandovska kiselo-slatka’, ‘Hidjas’, ‘Kisela’, ‘Karamustafa’, ‘Lifanka’, and ‘Ropkavec’) were examined. Autochthonous pomegranate varieties contained 4354.4 – 6480.9 mg/kg FW total phenols, 160 – 698.2 mg/kg FW anthocyanins, 96.9 – 157.2 mg/kg FW flavan-3-ols, and high antioxidant activity of fruits (71.2 - 92.5% inhibition). The ‘Valandovska kisela’ variety had the highest content of total phenolics (6480.87 mg/kg FW), flavan-3-ols (157.190 mg/kg FW) and higher fruit antioxidant activity (92.5% inhibition) compared to the standard ‘Karamustafa’ variety and the other autochthonous varieties. The ‘Hidjas’ variety had the highest content of anthocyanins (698.20 mg/kg FW). A positive correlation (0.9815) was found between the content of total phenolics and the fruit antioxidant activity. A moderate positive, insignificant correlation was also found between the content of flavan-3-ols and anthocyanins.

Ascorbic acid content and the antioxidant activity of common fruits commercially available in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT. The present work was aimed to determine the contents of ascorbic acid and the antioxidant activity of eight types of common fruits commercially available in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia using iodometric titration and UV-Vis spectrophotometric methods, respectively. The contents of ascorbic acid were found in the range 15.41 mg/100 g in grapes to 78.01 mg/100 g in papaya. The antioxidant activity was found highest in papaya (89.41) and lowest in water melon (31.28) in mg of ascorbic acid equivalent per 100 g of the edible part of fruit juice. The calibration curve of ascorbic acid was in the range 50 - 3.125 mg/L with R2 = 0.9994. The results also revealed the strong correlation (r = 0.863) between ascorbic acid contents in fruits and their antioxidant activity. Using the optimized conditions, UV-Vis spectrophotometric method with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil assay allows determination of antioxidant activity of fruits with limit of detection 0.32 mg/L and limit of quantification 0.96 mg/L. The precision was in the acceptable range (relative standard deviation, RSD < 20%) for determination of ascorbic acid and < 10% for antioxidant activity determination. The recovery of ascorbic acid was between 85% and 113% for selected fruits showing good accuracy of the results.
 
 KEY WORDS: Fruits, Ascorbic acid contents, Antioxidant activity, Free radical scavengers, Iodometric titration, UV-Vis spectrophotometry
 
 Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(2), 277-288. 
 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i2.3

Effect of Ozonation on the Mechanical, Chemical, and Microbiological Properties of Organically Grown Red Currant (Ribes rubrum L.) Fruit

Red currant fruits are a valuable source of micro- and macronutrients, vitamins, and chemical compounds with health-promoting properties, the properties of which change depending on the harvest date and the time and method of storage. This study analysed the effect of applying 10 ppm ozone gas for 15 and 30 min on the mechanical properties, chemical properties and microbiological stability of three organic-grown red currant fruit cultivars. Fruits harvested at the time of harvest maturity had significantly larger diameters and weights and lower water contents compared with fruits harvested seven days earlier, and the ozonation process, regardless of its harvesting date, reduced the physical parameters in question (diameter, weight, and water content). The ascorbic acid content of the ozonated fruit varied, with the highest decreases observed for fruit harvested 7 days before the optimal harvest date and stored for 15 days under refrigeration (an average decrease of 13.31% compared with the control fruit without ozonation). In general, the ozonation process had a positive effect on the variation of fruit antioxidant activity, with the highest average values obtained for fruit harvested 7 days before the optimum harvest date and stored for 15 days under refrigeration conditions; in addition, it also had an effect on reducing the development of microorganisms, including mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeasts, and moulds, mainly for the cultivar 'Losan'.

Elucidating how the chemical-nutritional composition of tomato is affected by the environment, season, and growing system

Tomatoes play an important nutritional role due to the chemical-nutritional composition of this fruit, and its common use in dishes and food products. Its fruits provide pronounced antioxidant properties to the human diet, because of the presence of vitamin C, carotenogenic compounds such as lycopene and β-carotene, and phytochemicals such as flavonoids. Despite this, the antioxidant function and carotenoid levels in tomato may present significant differences depending on the system of cultivation, growing season, and environment in which this vegetable is cultivated. In light of this, this study aimed to assess the effects of the cultivation system known as “Viçosa”, in relation to traditional tomato cultivation systems, over two seasons. This assessment was done both under field conditions and in a controlled environment. The nutritional aspects of the fruits, such as the levels of phenolic compounds, lycopene, beta-carotene, and antioxidant activity, were analyzed. The controlled environment in the autumn-winter season, associated with the Viçosa cultivation system, facilitated increases in the lycopene content. Furthermore, field cultivation provided an increase of 68% and 38% in the total phenolic concentration in tomato fruits, in the spring-summer and autumn-winter seasons, respectively. Field cultivation also provided an increase of 31% in the antioxidant activity of the fruits, compared with that of the controlled cultivation, in the autumn-winter season. The increase in the levels of total phenolics and antioxidant activity of fruits due to cultivation in the field represents an advantage as cultivation in this environment has a lower cost than cultivation in a controlled environment. The cultivation systems did not influence the chemical-nutritional aspects of fruits; moreover, the Viçosa system brings together aspects such as high productivity and profitability, without compromising the chemical-nutritional aspects of the fruits, thereby configuring a promising system for tomato production.

Determinação do ponto de colheita de pimentas ‘Murupi’ acondicionadas em embalagens plásticas e armazenamento refrigerado

ABSTRACT Peppers of the genus Capsicum are rich in antioxidants and considered to be an excellent source of compounds, which can bring benefits for human health, such as vitamin C and phenolic compounds. These compounds are influenced by the ripening stage of the fruits. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the ideal harvest point for ‘Murupi’ pepper fruits, targeting the consumer market, based on physical, chemical, and functional attributes. These attributes were evaluated during postharvest, being the fruits packed in low density polyethylene plastic film (LDPE) and submitted to cold storage (25±1°C and 95±3% U.R.) for 20 days. The treatments consisted of three different fruit maturation stages at harvest time (fruit peel color: green, partially red and totally red). The authors analyzed the vitamin C, total and soluble fibers, ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), DPPH (2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), total and reducing sugars, total phenolics, carotenoids, capsaicin and anthocyanins. The fruits harvested in immature stage (green) showed the highest values of vitamin C, total phenolics and, capsaicin contents, and also the highest averages of fruit antioxidant activity. The use of 0.10 mm-thick LDPE packages showed to be effective in delaying the maturation of pepper fruits in relation to sensory attributes, especially in terms of total fiber contents, being also observed, in this case, better maintenance of vitamin C and capsaicin contents, phenolic compounds and the highest antioxidant activity.

A Study on the Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activities of Fruit and Vegetable Jellies Mixed with <i>Boswellia</i>

A Study on the Quality Characteristics and Antioxidant Activities of Fruit and Vegetable Jellies Mixed with <i>Boswellia</i>

Physiological and Transcriptome Analyses of CaCl2 Treatment to Alleviate Chilling Injury in Pineapple.

The post-harvest ripening of pineapples can be effectively postponed by refrigerated storage. Nevertheless, internal browning (IB) frequently appears in pineapples after refrigerated storage during the course of the shelf life at room temperature, which is known as chilling injury (CI). In this study, the chilling injury of pineapple fruit was induced by a low temperature (6 °C) and transferred to normal-temperature storage; the best concentration of 50 μmol/L of CaCl2 was selected by the IB appearance and electrical conductivity. Fruit quality, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidants, and transcription factors were investigated. The physiological data results indicated that pineapples treated with 50 μmol/L of CaCl2 maintained fruit quality, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and enhanced the antioxidant activity of fruits, alleviating internal browning (IB) symptoms in pineapple fruit. The expressions of related genes were also consistent with the physiological changes by the transcriptome data analysis. In addition, we focused on some related metabolic pathways, including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, MAPK pathway, plant hormone, plant–pathogen interaction, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TAC), and fatty acid biosynthesis. We performed integrative analyses of transcriptome data combined with a series of physiology and experimental analyses on the internal browning of pineapples, which will be of great significance to extending the shelf life of pineapples through molecular biology in the future.

Phenotypic diversity for fruit quality traits and bioactive compounds in red-fleshed guava: Insights from multivariate analyses and machine learning algorithms

Precise characterization of genetic resources is critically important for developing high yielding and nutri-rich guava cultivars. This study aimed at delineating phenotypic diversity for fruit yield, quality and bioactive compounds in the newly developed red-fleshed guava selections and hybrids. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the associated effect-size estimates revealed a high degree of phenotypic diversity for most of tree growth and fruit quality traits, minerals and bioactive compounds in the guava accessions analyzed. Principal Component Analysis efficiently discerned key trends in data with first and second Principal Components representing nutritional and bioactive compounds, and fruit yield attributes, respectively. Grouping of guava accessions into separate k-means clusters evinced a fairly high genetic divergence for the traits examined. Correlation and network analyses revealed that total antioxidant activity of fruits was strongly and positively regulated by total phenols (TP), β-carotene (β-car) and flavonoids (Flav). Gradient Boosting and Random Forest regression models also confirmed an overarching influence of TP, β-car and Flav in determining the total antioxidant activity. Our findings are expected to assist the guava breeders in selecting suitable parental combinations for future hybridization programs. The promising guava accessions identified by us meet the fresh consumption and processing standards, and may thus be considered for commercial planting.

Relationship between Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Activity and Color Parameters of Red Table Grape Skins Using Linear Ordering Analysis

Color, being one of the most important sensory characteristics, could be associated to the phenolic compound content and/or the antioxidant activity of fruits and vegetables. In this study, linear ordering was used to build quality rankings of red table grapes based on color parameters or phenolic compounds. First, the principle component analysis (PCA) was used to show the association between color of red grape skins (evaluated in CIE L*a*b* and L*C*h systems) and their individual phenolic compounds (investigated by the HPLC), total polyphenol content (TPC), total anthocyanins (ACNs), as well as the antioxidant activity (DPPH) of five table grape varieties. It could be observed that the lightness (L*) and hue angle (h) are the color coordinates strongly related to some phenolic compounds and ACN, whereas a* was related to DPPH and TPC. Five distinct clusters could be observed from PCA analysis with dark-colored grape varieties showing high levels of ACN (3.48–5.83 mg/g), low lightness (47.8–53.0), and high h values (353.7–359.8°). L*, a*, and h color coordinates were used to build table grape ranking. The second ranking was built based on phenolic compound content. Results of the two rankings were correlated. High Tau Kendall correlation coefficient (0.51, p = 0.000) indicated that linear ordering analysis, based on the simple color measurements, could be a useful tool for rapid screening of the quality of grapes. This could be valuable information for producers and consumers of the fruit making decision on the market.

Enhancing fruit quality of three Physalis sp. throughout foliar nutrition

Foliar nutrients containing macronutrients, micronutrients and a combination of both were applied to Physalis peruviana, P. alkekengi and P. ixocarpa to determine their effect on fruit quality. A randomised complete block design study was conducted in a greenhouse on Madura Island, Indonesia. This study showed significant interactions between Physalis species and foliar nutrition to the physicochemical character of the fruit. Each species responded differently to the given nutrients. The combination of 1 g/L macronutrient (P and K) and 0.0625 g/L micronutrients (Zn, Fe, Cu, B, Mo and Mn) resulted in the highest fruit antioxidant activity, vitamin C, total soluble solids and redness of the three Physalis species. Generally, macronutrients and micronutrients in combination can be recommended to increase the quality of Physalis fruit.

Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity in Fruit of the Genus Rosa L.

Throughout history, people of different cultures have acknowledged the relationship between food properties and health. The pseudo-fruits of different Rosa species contain high levels of vitamin C and other beneficial biological active agents such as phenolics, and others. The purpose of the research was to determine the variability of the phenolic compound profiles in the fruit of different species of Rosa L. and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of fruit extracts in vitro. The total contents of phenolics, flavonoids, procyanidins, and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were performed using the spectrophotometric method. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of individual phenolics in rosehip samples was carried out by applying the HPLC method. The largest amounts of phenolic compounds 26.49 ± 1.32 mg GRE/g were found in rosehip samples of the Rosa pisocarpa species. (+)-Catechin was the predominant phenolic compound in rosehip fruit samples, and the highest content 522.48 ± 26.12 µg/g was found in rosehip samples of the Rosa subcanina species. A strong correlation was found between the total amount of phenolic compounds determined in rosehip extracts and the radical scavenging and reducing the activity of their extracts in vitro (r = 0.759 and 0.761, accordingly, p < 0.001).

Quality and antioxidant activity of highbush blueberry fruit coated with starch-based and gelatine-based film enriched with cinnamon oil

In this study, the effect of starch-based and gelatine-based edible coating containing cinnamon oil on selected quality parameters and the metabolism of antioxidants in highbush blueberry fruit, in terms of extending their shelf life were investigated. Research showed that the application of cinnamon oil to edible coating positively influenced the quality of the fruit during storage. Coating with essential oil effectively inhibited the growth of yeast and mould in the fruit during storage. On the last day, the growth of yeast and mould in the fruit coated with cinnamon oil (10% COE) was 1.29 log cycles lower than in the control. Moreover, the essential oil reduced the loss of soluble solids but it did not significantly affect the acidity and weight loss of the fruit. Equally interesting was the effect of the coating with cinnamon oil on the antioxidant activity of the fruit. Blueberries coated with cinnamon oil were characterised by a lower ability to produce ROS, as well as a lower activity of antioxidant enzymes. On the final day, the level of ROS and the activity of SOD and CAT were lower than the control by 82%, 56% and 63% respectively. The level of polyphenols in the fruit coated with cinnamon oil was higher than in the control up to the 5th day of storage. However, the level of anthocyanins in this sample gradually decreased as the storage period extended. After 10 days, the loss of anthocyanins in the fruit with essential oil was around 37%.

Physicochemical and antioxidant activity of fruit harvested from eight jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) cultivars at different development stages

Jujube is a crop highly resistant to drought and salinity, making it one of the main fruit trees in Xinjiang. The present study evaluated the changes in the physicochemical and antioxidant activities of jujube fruit of eight different cultivars from Xinjiang, China. The developmental stages were selected according to the days after full bloom and fruit peel colour during ripening; these stages included young (S1), fruit core-hardening (S2), green ripening (S3), half-red maturity (S4) and complete red. In present study, different cultivars of jujube fruit showed similar chemical profiles, but their amounts showed great variation. HZ had the highest content of sugars, and JY had the highest content of cAMP and cGMP, while relatively higher levels of ascorbic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, proanthocyanidin and antioxidant activity were found in ‘FS’ than in other cultivars, indicating that ‘FS’ could be used as a potential natural antioxidant. Regarding the development stages of jujube fruit, the moisture, ascorbic acid, total polyphenol, catechin, epicatechin, proanthocyanidin and rutin contents decreased during the development of all jujube cultivars, while the fructose, glucose, sucrose, cAMP, and cGMP contents greatly increased. The antioxidant activity determined by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging decreased as the fruits matured. Therefore, the results suggest that green jujube (S1) could be used for natural antioxidants (catechin, epicatechin, proanthocyanidin) and that the advanced ripening stage(S5) is the proper picking period for fresh fruit and commercial processing.

Physiological maturity and wound-based orchard practices influence the antioxidant content and metabolic activity of two species of açai fruit at harvest and during storage

Pre-harvest treatments like wound-based orchard management practices and early harvest were applied to açai plants (Euterpe oleracea Mart., Euterpe precatoria Mart.) to yield higher levels of antioxidants. Orchard practices like 50% shoot suppression and 50% cluster thinning when applied 87 d before harvest (187 days DAA) were similar to control fruits at harvest and during storage (20 °C). However, lesions in the stipe applied 187 DAA altered the acid, carbohydrate, phenolic content and the ethylene biosynthesis compared to control fruits, showing enhanced fruit antioxidant activity. Early harvest of fruit including 120 and 150 DAA, showed higher acid, lower sugars, higher phenolic content and higher ethylene biosynthesis and respiration rate compared to control fruits, showing the highest levels of fruit antioxidant activity. The selected strategies studied may achieve higher yields of phenolic antioxdants from açai fruit and target high value health markets including functional foods and dietary supplements.

Comparison of superior bred strawberry genotypes with popular cultivars in terms of fruit bioactive compounds over the full range of harvest dates

Secondary compounds of fruit are among the essential concerns due to their positive effects on human health. Many studies have attempted to improve these compounds by applying different genotype or cultivation practices such as irrigation and fertilization. This study aimed to find out the effect of different harvest dates on strawberry genotypes in terms of total phenolic (TP), total antioxidant activity (TAA), total monomeric anthocyanin (TMA), and some crucial individual phenolic compounds during the five-month growing season (January - May periods) with one month intervals. Besides, superior bred lines ('33′, '36′ and '61′) were compared with widely grown cultivars ('Rubygem', 'Festival' and 'Fortuna') under the Mediterranean climate conditions. Regarding the genotypes, it was observed that TMA, TP, TAA, (−) epicatechin, (−) epicatechin gallate, pelargonidin 3- glucoside (P3G), and pelargonidin 3- rutinoside (P3R) values were the highest values in the 33-bred line, while the 36-bred line stood out in terms of ferulic acid and cyanidin 3- glucoside (C3G). This study also has shown that the chlorogenic acid and sinapic acid contents of the 61-bred line were found in the highest level compared with the others. Regarding the harvest date, fruit antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, and individual phenols such as gallic, syringic, ferulic, (−) epicatechin and ellagic acid were measured the highest in May-harvested fruits, whereas these values were observed at the lowest level in March, except for syringic and (−) epicatechin. On the other hand, rutin, quercetin, sinapic acid, chlorogenic and caffeic acids, and P3G and P3R levels of fruits were the highest in April, when it was the most intense harvest period in Mediterranean climate conditions. These observations indicated that these compounds could be increased by choosing the right genotype and suitable environmental conditions.