Phenolic composition of 91 Australian apple varieties: towards understanding their health attributes.

Introduction: Apples, an important contributor to total dietary phenolic intake, are associated with cardiovascular health benefits. Determining the phenolic composition of apples, their individual variation across varieties, and the phenolic compounds present in plasma after apple consumption is integral to understanding the effects of apple phenolics on cardiovascular health.

Methods: Using liquid chromatography we quantified five important polyphenols and one phenolic acid with potential health benefits: quercetin glycosides, (-)-epicatechin, procyanidin B2, phloridzin, anthocyanins, and chlorogenic acid, in the skin and flesh of 19 apple varieties and 72 breeding selections from the Australian National Apple Breeding program.

Polyphenol composition of plum selections in relation to total antioxidant capacity.

Dietary polyphenols are associated with protection against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Pharmacological studies show a range of bioactivities and efficacy attributable to specific polyphenols. While many fruits are rich in polyphenols, wide cultivar variation of polyphenol composition is common.

Light-induced expression of a MYB gene regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in red apples.

Anthocyanins are secondary metabolites found in higher plants that contribute to the colors of flowers and fruits. In apples (Malus domestica Borkh.), several steps of the anthocyanin pathway are coordinately regulated, suggesting control by common transcription factors.