title: Edible flowers of Viola tricolor L. as a new functional food: antioxidant activity, individual phenolics and effects of gamma and electron-beam irradiation.
abstract: Edible flowers are used in food preparations, being also recognized for their beneficial effects on human health. Nevertheless, these species are highly perishable, and irradiation treatment might be applied to ensure food quality and increase their shelf life. Viola tricolor L. is a typical edible flower, with multiple applications and biological properties, mainly provided by the flavonoid content. In the present work, the phenolic compounds were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS, and the antioxidant activity was evaluated using biochemical assays. Linear discriminant analyses (LDA) were performed in order to compare the results obtained with flowers submitted to different irradiation doses and technologies (cobalt-60 and electron-beam). In general, irradiated samples (mostly with 1 kGy) showed the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the significant differences observed in the LDA allow determination of which dose and/or technology is suitable to obtain flowers with higher antioxidant potential.
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal; Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, National Commission of Nuclear Energy - IPEN/CNEN-SP, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242, Butantã 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal; Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles (GIP-USAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: João C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barreira
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal.
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Investigación en Polifenoles (GIP-USAL), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: Celestino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santos-Buelga
authors.affiliation: Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, National Commission of Nuclear Energy - IPEN/CNEN-SP, Av. Professor Lineu Prestes 2242, Butantã 05508-000, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anna L C H
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Villavicencio
authors.affiliation: Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Ap. 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal. Electronic address: iferreira@ipb.pt.
authors.forename: Isabel C F R
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004583:Electrons; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D055951:Functional Food; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis*; D032413:Viola / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols
keywords: Antioxidant activity; HPLC–DAD–ESI/MS; Linear discriminant analysis; Phenolic compounds; Viola tricolor