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Article

Activity and Concentration of Polyphenolic Antioxidants in Apple: Effect of Cultivar, Harvest Year, and Storage Conditions

Addie A. van der Sluis,^† Matthijs Dekker,*^† Anton de Jager,^‡ and Wim M. F. Jongen^†

Product Design and Quality Management Group, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700EV Wageningen, The Netherlands, and Fruit Research Station, Lingewal 1, 6668LA Randwijk, The Netherlands

J. Agric. Food Chem., 2001, 49 (8), pp 3606–3613

DOI: 10.1021/jf001493u

Publication Date (Web): July 12, 2001

†

Wageningen University.

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail Matthijs.Dekker@ift.fdsci.wag-ur.nl; telephone + 31 317 482520; fax + 31 317 483669).

‡

Fruit Research Station.

Abstract

Consumers' increasing interest in the relationship between diet and health is a sign for food producers to pay more attention to potential health-protecting compounds in new product development and food processing. From a production chain perspective the choice of the raw material that is used is important for the health-protecting potential of the end product. Four apple cultivars (Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Cox's Orange, and Elstar), which can be used as fresh apples or in processed apple products, were compared with regard to flavonol, catechins, phloridzin, and chlorogenic acid concentrations and antioxidant activity. Jonagold apples possessed the highest flavonoid concentration and the highest antioxidant activity. To study seasonal differences, apples from three different harvest years were analyzed, but in three cultivars no effect on flavonoid concentration and antioxidant activity was observed. Long-term storage, both at refrigerator temperature and under controlled atmosphere conditions, was found not to influence flavonoid concentration or antioxidant activity.

Keywords: Antioxidant activity; flavonoids; storage; apples; cultivar; harvest

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