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BackgroundApples are an important source of polyphenols in the human diet and the consumption of this fruit has been linked to the prevention of degenerative diseases.ResultsCatechins, procyanidins, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonol glycosides, dihydrochalcone glycosides and one anthocyanin: cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, were identified both in the peel and pulp. Procyanidins, catechins and flavonols represent the main constituents of peel. Concerning the antioxidant activity, in the reduction of the stable DPPH radical and in the inhibition of lipid peroxidation, the ethanolic extracts of red peel and red pulp showed a good similar activity comparable to ascorbic acid in the DPPH test and about ten times more active than BHT in the lipoxygenase test, and were much more active than aqueous extracts. The ORAC value of red pulp aqueous extract resulted comparable to that of red berries: vaccinium, rubus and ribes, foods appreciated for their health value.ConclusionThis apple contains an appreciable amount of polyphenols also in the flesh; this variety with red flesh can also be useful for researchers engaged in apples varietal innovation in addition to being used as food apple.

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In this paper, the volatiles emitted by flowers and various parts of the flower of a rare spontaneous Italian red (peel and flesh) apple named "Pelingo", were analyzed by SPME with the aim of identifying the contribution of each one to the whole aroma profile. Linalool was the most abundant volatile of flowers: from 43.0% in the flower buds, to 17.6% in the stylus and stigma headspace. The second most represented volatile was (E,E)-α-farnesene mainly emitted by the mature flowers (32.2%). Benzenoid compounds also have been identified: benzyl-alcohol is the most representative (1.0-16.5%) in all the samples except flower buds, while benzyl acetate (5.7%) and methyl salicylate (7.7%) are mainly present in the calyx and in the mature flowers respectively but not in the flower buds. Benzenoid compounds are the attractors for pollinator, probably for this reason were not detected in the headspace of flower bud

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The antioxidant activity was assessed of fresh juice from Prunus spinosa L. fruit (Rosaceae) growing wild in Urbino (central Italy) by using different cell-free in vitro analytical methods: 5-lipoxygenase test, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). Trolox was used as the reference antioxidant compound. In the 5-lipoxygenase and DPPH tests the fresh fruit juice of P. spinosa showed good antioxidant activity when compared with Trolox, while the ORAC value was 36.0 μmol eq. Trolox /g of fruit. These values are in accord with data reported in the literature for small fruits such as Vaccinium, Rubus and Ribes. The antioxidant capacity in cell-free systems of P. spinosa juice has been compared with its cytoprotective-bona fide antioxidant activity in cultured human promonocytes (U937 cells) exposed to hydrogen peroxide. The antioxidant activity of red berries has been correlated with their anthocyanin content. The results of this study indicate that the three most representative anthocyanins in P.spinosa fruit juice (cyanidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-rutinoside and cyanidin-3-glucoside) are likely to play an important role in its antioxidant properties.