Identification and Quantification of Bioactive Compounds in Organic and Conventional Edible Pansy Flowers (Viola × wittrockiana) and Their Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

The use of edible flowers has become increasingly popular as a good source of bioactive compounds. Many flowers can be consumed, but there is a lack of information about the chemical composition of organic and conventional flowers. Organic crops represent a higher level of food safety because pesticides and artificial fertilizers are prohibited. The present experiment was carried out with organic and conventional edible pansy flowers of different colors: double-pigmented violet/yellow and single-pigmented yellow flowers. In fresh flowers, the contents of dry matter and polyphenols (including phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, and chlorophylls) and the antioxidant activity were determined by the HPLC-DAD method. The results showed that organic edible pansy flowers contained significantly more bioactive compounds, especially polyphenols (333.8 mg/100 g F.W.), phenolic acids (40.1 mg/100 g F.W.), and anthocyanins (293.7 mg/100 g F.W.) compared to conventional methods. Double-pigmented (violet/yellow) pansy flowers are more recommended for the daily diet than single-pigmented yellow flowers. The results are unique and open the first chapter in a book on the nutritional value of organic and conventional edible flowers.

Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Cercis chinensis Flower in Response to Different Development Stages

“…Flower color presentation is closely related to the composition and accumulation of anthocyanidin and flavonol [44]. Anthocyanidin is the main component of plant petal coloring, which has strong antioxidant activity [17,45]. During the development of C. chinensis flower, the petal area continues to expand, and various physiological changes take place inside the petal.…”