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Physicochemical composition and antioxidant activity of several pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars grown in Spain

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Abstract

Nine pomegranate cultivars grown in Spain were selected, and their physicochemical (total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, maturity index, monomeric anthocyanin pigment, flavonoids, hydrolyzable tannins, and vitamin C) and antioxidant properties and polyphenolic composition of the juices were compared. A total of 53 polyphenols were identified, showing cultivars different profiles. Of all nine cultivars, Katirbasi had the highest contents of flavonoids, hydrolyzable tannins and vitamin C, as well as gallic acid and ellagic acid contents, explaining its high total reducing capacity. Principal component analysis allowed Katirbasi to be differentiated clearly from the others. Other cultivars presented also interesting characteristics such as high monomeric anthocyanin pigment content (CG8 cultivar) and interesting antioxidant activity (Wonderful 2 and CG8 cultivars). CG8 was the cultivar with the highest value of cyanidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside. Thus, this study will assist pomegranate producers in choosing the most suitable cultivar according to its ultimate use.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to POCTEP-Programa de Cooperação Transfronteiriça Espanha-Portugal for financial support through the Project “RED/AGROTEC – Experimentation network and transfer for development of agricultural and agro industrial sectors between Spain and Portugal” and CIMO through the Project PEst-OE/AGR/UI0690/2014 and the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mountain Research Centre (CIMO)/School of Agriculture, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253, Bragança, Portugal

    Luana Fernandes, José Alberto Pereira & Elsa Ramalhosa

  2. Vegetable Production Department, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain

    Isabel Lopéz-Cortés & Domingo M. Salazar

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Lope Gomez de Marzoa s/n 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Julia González-Álvarez

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  1. Luana Fernandes
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Correspondence to Elsa Ramalhosa.

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Fernandes, L., Pereira, J.A., Lopéz-Cortés, I. et al. Physicochemical composition and antioxidant activity of several pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars grown in Spain. Eur Food Res Technol 243, 1799–1814 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-017-2884-4

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