title: Fruit quality and bioactive compounds relevant to human health of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars grown in Italy.
abstract: The fruit quality characteristics, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacities of 24 sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars grown on the mountainsides of the Etna volcano (Sicily, Italy) were evaluated. High-performance liquid chromatographic methods were used to identify and quantify sugars, organic acids and phenolics. A total of seven phenolic compounds were characterised as hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (neochlorogenic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid and chlorogenic acid) and anthocyanins (cyanidin 3-glucoside, cyanidin 3-rutinoside, pelargonidin 3-rutinoside and peonidin 3-rutinoside). The total anthocyanin content ranged from 6.21 to 94.20mg cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100g fresh weight (FW), while the total phenol content ranged from 84.96 to 162.21mg gallic acid equivalents/100g FW. The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay indicated that fruit of all genotypes possessed considerable antioxidant activity. The high level of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of some sweet cherry fruits implied that they might be sources of bioactive compounds that are relevant to human health.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Centro di Ricerca per l'Agrumicoltura e le Colture Mediterranee, Corso Savoia 190, 95024 Acireale, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ballistreri
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Continella
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amenta
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fabroni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rapisarda
mesh_terms: D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis*; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts