Phenolic Compounds as Phytochemical Tracers of Varietal Origin of Some Autochthonous Apple Cultivars Grown in Serbia

Abstract

Domesticated international (standard) apple cultivars, together with resistant apple cultivars are the core of the Serbian apple production. Furthermore, autochthonous cultivars are characterized by a good adaptability to the local environmental conditions and represent a valuable source of genetic variability, as well as an important source of the gene pool for further breeding programs. Additionally, they show a higher phenolic content and a stronger antioxidant activity, in comparison to commercial cultivars. Therefore, they are more likely to be used as a functional food. The subjects of this study were seventeen samples of fruits and leaves from autochthonous apple cultivars, five international standard cultivars, and six resistant apple cultivars. The phenolic profile was determined using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), coupled with a diode array detector and a TSQ Quantum Access Max triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. A total of twenty compounds were quantified in the samples. Most of the analyzed phenolics were detected in higher amounts in the peel, compared to the mesocarp. The results of the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicate that 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid is present in the highest amount in the mesocarp, while in the peel and leaves, quercetin-glycosides were detected in the highest amount. According to the MANOVA: phloretin, phlorizin, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, kaempferol, and p-coumaric acid are present in significantly higher levels in the autochthonous cultivars, compared to the standard and resistant ones (in both fruits and leaves). Therefore, these compounds can be used as chemical tracers of the apple varietal origin.

Fruit Quality Attributes of Organically Grown Norwegian Apples Are Affected by Cultivar and Location

“…The most important sugars are glucose and fructose, and it has a low level of sucrose, which makes the apple fruit suitable for consumption by diabetic patients [ 4 ]. In addition, apples are a reservoir of other chemicals that belong to primary and secondary metabolism, such as organic acids (malic, maleic, citric, and quinic acid), macro and micro-elements (N, K, P, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, B, Zn, Cu, and Mn), phenolic compounds (anthocyanins, dihydrochalcones, flavanols, flavones, flavonols, hydroxybenzoic acids, and hydroxycinnamic acids), vitamins (in particular, vitamin C and vitamin E), volatile compounds (esters, alcohols, aldehydes, and ketones), dietary fibers (cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin), chlorophyll, and carotenoids (lutein, α and β carotene, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin) [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. The seeds, the waste from juice processing, contain up to 27% oils, which are rich in fatty acids, carotenoids, and tocopherols [ 14 ].…”

Sustainable electricity generation through apple waste

“…El consumo por persona es de 9.2 kg per cápita, siendo China el mayor productor a nivel mundial con un 45% y seguido por USA con un 9.5 % [6,7]. El alto consumo de esta fruta se debe principalmente por ser una fuente rica en compuestos fenólicos, fibra digerible y pectina, contenidas en la pulpa y piel (95 %), semillas (2 al 4 %) y tallos (1 %) [8]. Los contenidos de los compuestos fenólicos tienen grandes variaciones, esto principalmente a las diferentes variedades y partes de las manzanas, pero las cascaras de las manzanas contiene una mayor concentración de compuestos fenólicos que la pulpa [9,10].…”

Distribution and Stability of Polyphenols in Juices Made from Traditional Apple Cultivars Grown in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…In the terms of fruit, peel contains significantly more polyphenols compared to pulp [13,14]. Moreover, differences between traditional and standard commercial cultivars can be made [15]. Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is well known for its traditional apple cultivars.…”