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Pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) Juices: Chemical Composition, Micronutrient Cations, and Antioxidant Capacity
Author(s) -
El Kar Chiraz,
Ferchichi Ali,
Attia Faouzi,
Bouajila Jalloul
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02211.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , gallic acid , punica , abts , food science , catechin , quercetin , antioxidant , bioavailability , flavonoid , micronutrient , potassium , composition (language) , polyphenol , biochemistry , horticulture , organic chemistry , biology , dpph , bioinformatics , linguistics , philosophy
Phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins of pomegranate juices, obtained from 9 Tunisian ecotypes were quantified. Phenolics and flavonoids in the variety Tounsi (TN) (3299 mg gallic acid equivalents [GAE]/L and 636 mg quercetin equivalents [QE]/L of juice, respectively) were higher than in the variety Gabsi (GB) (1570 mg GAE/L and 135 mg QE/L of juice, respectively). The highest anthocyanins quantity was found in GB 2 with 156 mg cyanidin‐3‐glucoside equivalents (CGE)/L. TN 3 ecotype showed the highest tannins quantity with 2550 mg catechin equivalents (CE)/L of juice. TN 1 presented the highest radical‐scavenging activity (2, 2′‐azinobis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonate [ABTS], IC 50 [50% inhibition concentration] = 525 mg/L), as well as the highest concentration of micronutrient cations (potassium and sodium). A high correlation ( R 2 = 0.80) between antioxidant capacity and proanthocyanin contents was found, this suggests that proanthocyanins are the principal contributor in the antioxidant capacity of pomegranate. Our data suggest also that the high concentrations of K + and Na + may play a role in the adaptation of pomegranate to arid environments.