title: Re-evaluation of traditional Mediterranean foods. The local landraces of 'Cipolla di Giarratana' (Allium cepa L.) and long-storage tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum L.): quality traits and polyphenol content.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The heightened consumer awareness for food safety is reflected in the demand for products with well-defined individual characteristics due to specific production methods, composition and origin. In this context, of pivotal importance is the re-evaluation of folk/traditional foods by properly characterizing them in terms of peculiarity and nutritional value. The subjects of this study are two typical Mediterranean edible products. The main morphological, biometrical and productive traits and polyphenol contents of three onion genotypes ('Cipolla di Giarratana', 'Iblea' and 'Tonda Musona') and three long-storage tomato landraces ('Montallegro', 'Filicudi' and 'Principe Borghese') were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sicilian onion landraces were characterized by large bulbs, with 'Cipolla di Giarratana' showing the highest bulb weight (605 g), yield (151 t ha(-1)) and total polyphenol content (123.5 mg kg(-1)). Landraces of long-storage tomato were characterized by low productivity (up to 20 t ha(-1)), but more than 70% of the total production was obtained with the first harvest, allowing harvest costs to be reduced. High contents of polyphenols were found, probably related to the typical small fruit size and thick skin characterizing these landraces.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study overviews some of the most important traits that could support traditional landrace characterization and their nutritional value assessment.
authors: Istituto del CNR di Chimica Biomolecolare, Via Paolo Gaifami 18, I-95126, Catania, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Siracusa
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Avola
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Patanè
authors: Ezio
authors: E
authors: Riggi
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Ruberto
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D003469:Culture; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005502:Food; D005838:Genotype; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D009753:Nutritive Value; D019697:Onions / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis*; D012802:Sicily; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D059808:Polyphenols
keywords: long-storage tomato; onion; phenolic content; quality traits; traditional crops