Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany
<b>Background:</b> A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to lowering the risk of chronic diseases. The fruits of Malus x domestica are a rich dietary source of bioactive compounds, namely vitamins and antioxidants, with recognized action on human health protection. Tuscany is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Medicines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/6/1/27 |
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| author | Roberto Berni Claudio Cantini Massimo Guarnieri Massimo Nepi Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Marco Romi Giampiero Cai |
| author_facet | Roberto Berni Claudio Cantini Massimo Guarnieri Massimo Nepi Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Marco Romi Giampiero Cai |
| author_sort | Roberto Berni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to lowering the risk of chronic diseases. The fruits of Malus x domestica are a rich dietary source of bioactive compounds, namely vitamins and antioxidants, with recognized action on human health protection. Tuscany is known for its rich plant biodiversity, especially represented by ancient varieties of fruit trees. Particularly noteworthy are the many ancient Tuscan varieties of apple trees. <b>Methods:</b> Sugar quantification via HPLC and spectrophotometric assays to quantify the antioxidant power and total polyphenol content revealed interesting differences in 17 old varieties of Malus x domestica Borkh. recovered in Siena (Tuscany). <b>Results:</b> The quantification of antioxidants, polyphenols, and the main free sugars revealed that their content in the old fruits was often superior to the widespread commercial counterparts (‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’). Such differences were, in certain cases, dramatic, with 8-fold higher values. Differences were also present for sugars and fibers (pectin). Most ancient fruits displayed low values of glucose and high contents of xylitol and pectin. <b>Conclusions:</b> The results reported here suggest the possible use of ancient apple varieties from Siena for nutraceutical purposes and draw attention to the valorization of local old varieties. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:44:39Z |
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| id | doaj.art-ba844bd308664026a7036abd1423ee2a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2305-6320 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T10:44:39Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Medicines |
| spelling | doaj.art-ba844bd308664026a7036abd1423ee2a2022-12-21T23:50:17ZengMDPI AGMedicines2305-63202019-02-01612710.3390/medicines6010027medicines6010027Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in TuscanyRoberto Berni0Claudio Cantini1Massimo Guarnieri2Massimo Nepi3Jean-Francois Hausman4Gea Guerriero5Marco Romi6Giampiero Cai7Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, ItalyTrees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), I-58022 Follonica, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, ItalyEnvironmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, L-4362 Esch/Alzette, LuxembourgEnvironmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, L-4362 Esch/Alzette, LuxembourgDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy<b>Background:</b> A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to lowering the risk of chronic diseases. The fruits of Malus x domestica are a rich dietary source of bioactive compounds, namely vitamins and antioxidants, with recognized action on human health protection. Tuscany is known for its rich plant biodiversity, especially represented by ancient varieties of fruit trees. Particularly noteworthy are the many ancient Tuscan varieties of apple trees. <b>Methods:</b> Sugar quantification via HPLC and spectrophotometric assays to quantify the antioxidant power and total polyphenol content revealed interesting differences in 17 old varieties of Malus x domestica Borkh. recovered in Siena (Tuscany). <b>Results:</b> The quantification of antioxidants, polyphenols, and the main free sugars revealed that their content in the old fruits was often superior to the widespread commercial counterparts (‘Red Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’). Such differences were, in certain cases, dramatic, with 8-fold higher values. Differences were also present for sugars and fibers (pectin). Most ancient fruits displayed low values of glucose and high contents of xylitol and pectin. <b>Conclusions:</b> The results reported here suggest the possible use of ancient apple varieties from Siena for nutraceutical purposes and draw attention to the valorization of local old varieties.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/6/1/27<i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i>Tuscanyancient varietiesnutraceuticsantioxidantspolyphenolssugarspectin |
| spellingShingle | Roberto Berni Claudio Cantini Massimo Guarnieri Massimo Nepi Jean-Francois Hausman Gea Guerriero Marco Romi Giampiero Cai Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany Medicines <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Tuscany ancient varieties nutraceutics antioxidants polyphenols sugars pectin |
| title | Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany |
| title_full | Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany |
| title_fullStr | Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany |
| title_short | Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany |
| title_sort | nutraceutical characteristics of ancient i malus i x i domestica i borkh fruits recovered across siena in tuscany |
| topic | <i>Malus</i> x <i>domestica</i> Tuscany ancient varieties nutraceutics antioxidants polyphenols sugars pectin |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6320/6/1/27 |
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