Phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of pearas affected by rootstock and cultivar

Abstract

During two consecutive years we investigated the influence of two traditional quince rootstocks and three commercial pear cultivars on the phenolic compounds content and the antioxidant capacity in whole fruit. Results showed that the impact of rootstocks was lesser than the impact of cultivars. Quince BA.29 showed the higher vitamin C content, total antioxidant capacity, condensed tannins and gallotannins, whereas quince MA induced better values of inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation and metal chelating activity. 'Abbe Fetel' on both rootstocks was the cultivar with the highest vitamin C and total anthocyanin content (TAc), total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoids contens (TFC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), condensed tannins and gallotannins in comparison with 'Starking Delicious' and 'Beurre Bosc'. Values of DPPH scavenging activity, inhibitory activity against lipid peroxidation, metal chelating activity and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity were statistically similar and higher in both 'Starking Delicious' and 'Beurre Bosc' in relation to 'Abbe Fetel', i. e. they had a lower antioxidant capacity than 'Abbe Fetel'.