Mentha spicata L. infusions as sources of antioxidant phenolic compounds: emerging reserve lots with special harvest requirements.
Mentha spicata L., commonly known as spearmint, is widely used in both fresh and dry forms, for infusion preparation or in European and Indian cuisines. Recently, with the evolution of the tea market, several novel products with added value are emerging, and the standard lots have evolved to reserve lots, with special harvest requirements that confer them with enhanced organoleptic and sensorial characteristics. The apical leaves of these batches are collected in specific conditions having, then, a different chemical profile. In the present study, standard and reserve lots of M. spicata were assessed in terms of the antioxidants present in infusions prepared from the different lots. The reserve lots presented the highest concentration in all the compounds identified in relation to the standard lots, with 326 and 188 μg mL-1of total phenolic compounds, respectively. Both types of samples presented rosmarinic acid as the most abundant phenolic compound, at concentrations of 169 and 101 μg mL-1for reserve and standard lots, respectively. The antioxidant activity was higher in the reserve lots which had the highest total phenolic compounds content, with EC50values ranging from 152 to 336 μg mL-1. The obtained results provide scientific information that may allow the consumer to make a conscientious choice.
Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. iferreira@ipb.pt lillian@ipb.pt.
Ingride
I
Rita
Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. iferreira@ipb.pt lillian@ipb.pt.
Carla
C
Pereira
Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. iferreira@ipb.pt lillian@ipb.pt and Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering - Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 1134, 5301-857 Bragança, Portugal.
Lillian
L
Barros
GIP-USAL, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
Celestino
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6592-5299
C
Santos-Buelga
Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), ESA, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal. iferreira@ipb.pt lillian@ipb.pt.
Isabel C F R
IC
Ferreira
D000383:Agriculture; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005511:Food Handling; D031337:Mentha spicata / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
D000975:Antioxidants; D010636:Phenols