Antioxidant properties of different blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium corymbosum) fruits

Abstract

Berry fruits of Vaccinium corymbosum have gained a remarkable worldwide interest, due to their excellent sensory properties and the presence of healthy constituents, particularly high content of phenolic compounds possessing antioxidant activity. Due to these characteristics, blueberrieshave become one of the most desirable fresh fruits. It was reported that the content and composition of phenolic constituents in blueberries vary in a wide range. The formation of bioactive substances in fruits and vegetables depends on various factors, such as genotypic differences, environmental conditions (climate, temperature, soil) and cultivation practices. The aim of this study was to evaluate berry juices of nineteen Vaccinium corymbosum genotypes grown in Lithuania, namely ‘Aron’, ‘Bluecrop’, ‘Blueray’, ‘Bluejay’, ‘Bluegold’, ‘Bluehaven’, cultivar no.16, ‘Danutė’, ‘Freda’, ‘Hardyblue’, ‘Puru’, ‘Reka’, ‘Northblue’, ‘Northland’, ‘Nui’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Putte’, ‘Toro’ and ‘Weymouth’. ‘Danutėė, ‘Freda’ and no. 16 are new cultivars devbeloped in Kaunas Botanical Garden. Total phenolic content (TPC) was measuredby Folin–Ciocalteu method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by well-established in vitro methods, ABTS+, FRAP and ORAC. Analyzed V.corymbosum berries cultivars included While. Berry juices of V. corymbosum cultivars were shown to be a good source of polyphenols, however the TPC varied significantly between some berry juices. Newly bred cultivars ‘Freda’, ‘Danutė’ and no. 16 possessed the highest antioxidant activity among all investigated cultivars followed by well-known cultivars ‘Northland’, ‘Nui’, ‘Putte’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Weymouth’, ‘Northblue’, while the weakest antioxidant activity was found for ‘Bluejay’, ‘Toro’ and ‘Hardyblue’ cultivars. [...]