Skip to main content

Phytochemical and antioxidative potential of orange, red, yellow, rainbow and black coloured tropical carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus Schubl. & Martens)

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants volume 24, pages 899–907 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

This study was executed to determine phytochemical content i.e. total carotenoids, phenolics and flavonoids, and antioxidant ability expressed in the form of FRAP, CUPRAC and ABTS activity among different coloured tropical carrots (orange, red, yellow, rainbow and black carrot) developed at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Overall, within different colour group, the extent of variation for various phytochemical content and antioxidant potentiality is narrow i.e. ranged from 1.04- to 3.21-fold; but at the same time, the genotypic variability across genotypes is too wide which varied 20.90- to 57.92-fold for phytochemical and antioxidants is an indication of broad genetic base of carrot germplasm. Among all the carrots, black carrot had an exceptionally high content of total phenolics and flavonoids, and thereby led to the highest antioxidant ability in the terms of FRAP, CUPRAC and ABTS activity expressing about 76–83% relative potentiality followed by rainbow carrot, and least in orange, red and yellow carrot (black carrot > rainbow carrot > red carrot ≈ orange carrot ≈ yellow carrot). The content of phenolics and flavonoids were highly correlated with antioxidant activity (0.955** to 0.992**). However, the most cultivated and consumed carrots, orange and red one, possessed higher amount of carotenoids. The content of carotenoids negatively correlated with total phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidants activity (− 0.612** to − 0.627**). Broad genetic base and selection based on total phenolics content could be pivotal in the future breeding to harness the genetic wealth of carrot efficiently.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Alasalvar C, Grogor JM, Zhang D, Quantick PC, Shahidi F (2001) Comparison of volatiles, phenolics, sugars, antioxidant vitamins, and sensory quality of different colored carrot cultivars. J Agric Food Chem 49:1410–1416

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alezandro MR, Granato D, Genovese MI (2013) Jaboticaba [Myrciaria jaboticaba (Vell.) Berg], a Brazilian grape-like fruit, improves plasma lipid profile in streptozotocin mediated oxidative stress in diabetic rats. Food Res Int 54:650–659

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous (2017) Carotenoids. Gale encyclopedia of alternative medicine. http://www.encyclopedia.com. Accessed 8 July 2017

  • Apak R, Guclu K, Ozyurek M, Celik SE (2008) Mechanism of antioxidant capacity assays and the CUPRAC (cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity) assay. Microchim Acta 160:413–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Benzie IFF, Strain JJ (1996) The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of “antioxidant power”: the FRAP assay. Ann Biochem 239:70–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boeing H, Bechthold A, Bub A, Ellinger S, Haller D, Kroke A (2012) Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. Eur J Nutr 51:637–663

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouayed J, Hoffmann L, Bohn T (2011) Total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity following simulated gastro-intestinal digestion and dialysis of apple varieties: bioaccessibility and potential uptake. Food Chem 128:14–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carrillo C, Rey R, Hendrickx M, Cavia MDM, Alonso-Torre S (2017) Antioxidant capacity of beetroot: traditional vs novel approaches. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 72:266–273

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chu YF, Sun J, Wu X, Liu RH (2002) Antioxidant and anti-proliferative activities of common vegetables. J Agric Food Chem 50:6910–6916

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eldahshan OA, Singab ANB (2013) Carotenoids. J Pharmacogn Phytochem 2(1):225–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Grassmann J, Schnitzler WH, Habegger R (2007) Evaluation of different color carrot cultivars on antioxidant capacity based on their carotenoid and phenolic contents. Int J Food Sci Nutr 58:603–611

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Halliwell B (1991) Reactive oxygen species in living systems: source, biochemistry and role in human disease. Am J Med 91(3):S14–S22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karmakar P, Munshi AD, Behera TK, Kumar R, Sureja AK, Kaur C, Singh BK (2013) Quantification and inheritance of antioxidant properties and mineral content in ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula). Agric Res 2(3):222–228

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaur C, Kapoor HC (2001) Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables—the millennium’s health. Int J Food Sci Technol 36(7):703–725

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koley TK, Singh S, Khemariya P, Sarkar A, Kaur C, Chaurasia SNS, Naik PS (2014) Evaluation of bioactive properties of Indian carrot (Daucus carota L.): a chemometric approach. Food Res Int 60:76–85

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leja M, Kamińska I, Kramer M, Maksylewicz-Kaul A, Kammerer D, Carle R, Baranski R (2013) The content of phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity varies with carrot origin and root color. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 68:163–170

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manchali S, Murthy KNC, Patil BS (2012) Crucial facts about health benefits of popular cruciferous vegetables. J Funct Foods 4:94–106

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolle C, Simon G, Rock E, Amouroux P, Remesy C (2004) Genetic variability influences carotenoid, vitamin, phenolic, and mineral content in white, yellow, purple, orange, and dark-orange carrot cultivars. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 129:523–529

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey KB, Rizvi SI (2009) Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2(5):270–278

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Re R, Pellegrini N, Proteggente A, Pannala A, Yang M, Rice-Evans C (1999) Antioxidant activity applying an improved ABTS radical cation decolorization assay. Free Radic Biol Med 26:1231–1237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rubatzky VE, Quiros CF, Simon PW (1999) Carrots and related vegetable Umbelliferae. CABI Publication, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon PW, Wolff XY, Peterson CE, Kammerlohr DS, Rubatzky VE, Strandberg JO, Bassett MJ, White JM (1989) High carotene mass carrot population. HortScience 24:174–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BK (2016) Development of hybrids and hybrid seed production in root vegetables. In: Singh B, Pandey S, Singh N, Manimurugan C, Devi J, Singh PM (eds) Principles and production techniques of hybrid seeds in vegetables. Training manual No. 67. ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, pp 126–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh RK, Chaudhary BD (1977) Biometrical methods in quantitative genetic analysis. Kalyani Publishers, Ludhiana

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BK, Karmakar P (2015) Improved production technology for root crops. In: Singh N, Roy S, Karmakar P, Chaurasia SNS, Gupta S, Singh B (eds) Improved production technologies in vegetable crops. IIVR training manual No. 59. ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, pp 120–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BK, Sharma SR, Singh B (2009) Combining ability for superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase enzymes in cabbage head (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.). Sci Hortic 122(2):195–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh BK, Sharma SR, Kalia P, Singh B (2011) Genetic variability for antioxidants and horticultural traits in cabbage. Indian J Hortic 68(1):51–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh BK, Koley TK, Karmakar P, Tripathi A, Singh B, Singh M (2017) Pigmented radish (Raphanus sativus L.): genetic variability, heritability and inter-relationships of total phenolics, anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Indian J Agric Sci 87(12):1600–1606

    Google Scholar 

  • Singleton VL, Orthofer R, Lamuela-Ranventos RM (1999) Analysis of total phenols other oxidation substrates and antioxidants by means of Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. Methods Enzymol 299:152–178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song W, Derito CM, Liu MK (2010) Cellular antioxidant activity of common vegetables. J Agric Food Chem 58:6621–6629

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stolarczyk J, Janick J (2011) Carrot: history and iconography. Chron Horticult 51(2):13–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Surles RL, Weng N, Simon PW, Tanumihardjo SA (2004) Carotenoid profiles and consumer sensory evaluation of specialty carrots (Daucus carota L.) of various colors. J Agric Food Chem 52(11):3417–3421

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang D, Hamauzu Y (2004) Phenolic compounds and their antioxidant properties in different tissues of carrots (Daucus carota L.). Food Agric Environ 2(1):95–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhishen J, Mengcheng T, Jianming W (1999) The determination of flavonoid contents in mulberry and their scavenging effects on superoxide radicals. Food Chem 64:555–559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Director, ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Shahanshahpur-221305, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India for providing the facilities and financial support to undertake this study under the project ‘Genetic Improvement of Cole Crops and Root Crops’.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (ICAR-IIVR), Shahanshahpur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221305, India

    B. K. Singh, T. K. Koley, Arti Maurya, P. M. Singh & B. Singh

Authors
  1. B. K. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. K. Koley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Arti Maurya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. M. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. B. Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. K. Singh.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Singh, B.K., Koley, T.K., Maurya, A. et al. Phytochemical and antioxidative potential of orange, red, yellow, rainbow and black coloured tropical carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus Schubl. & Martens). Physiol Mol Biol Plants 24, 899–907 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0574-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12298-018-0574-8

Keywords

  • Tropical carrot
  • Antioxidant
  • Carotenoids
  • Phenols
  • Phytochemical