INVESTIGATION ON QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF FLAVONOIDS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF SOME APPLE CULTIVARS

Phenolic compounds of fruits and vegetables have an important role in the prevention ofcardiovascular disease and different types of cancers. This property is due to their antioxidant activity. Apple fruit is known as a rich source of phenolic compounds. In this study, total phenolics, some classes of flavonoids, chlorogenic acid and antioxidant activity of the peel of two Iranian apple cultivars including ‘Mashhad’, ‘Mashhad-e noori’, and two imported cultivars namely ‘Starking’ and ‘Jonathan’ were investigated. Results showed a significant variation among the studied cultivars regarding the amount of all studied cases except for cyanidin 3-galactoside. The peel of ‘Mashhad’ cultivar had the highest chlorogenic acid and phloridzin and that of ‘Jonathan’ had the highest catechin, quercetin 3-galactoside and cyanidin 3-galactoside. Analysis of regression of total phenolics and antioxidant activity data showed that there was a positive relation between total phenol and antioxidant activity of peel. The highest total phenolics and antioxidant activity were found in ‘Jonathan’ followed by ‘Starking’, ‘Mashhad-e noori’ and ‘Mashhad’.