Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of fruit of Brazilian genotypes of feijoa

Abstract

The objective of this work was to quantify the total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant activity (TAA) of fruit from Brazilian genotypes of feijoa (Acca sellowiana). Skin and flesh tissues of the fruit were evaluated for the Alcântara, Helena, Mattos, and Nonante cultivars, and for the 2316 accession. TPC and TAA were both assessed in aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts, and TAA was assayed by the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS [2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)] methods. The TPC values, for aqueous extracts of the skin and flesh tissues, were 114.9 and 88.3 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per 100 g fresh weight (FW), respectively. The corresponding values for TAA determined by the DPPH method, the skin and flesh tissues, given as EC₅₀ (substrate concentration which leads to 50% reduction of the DPPH), were 10.7 and 39.7 mg FW per g DPPH, respectively; and, by the ABTS method, the TAA values were 12.01 and 8.33 µmol L^-1 Trolox per g FW, respectively. The greatest values for TPC and TAA were obtained for 'Mattos' and 'Nonante', in the skin, and for 'Nonante' and accession 2316, in the flesh. Feijoa fruit has important functional value, particularly in the skin, characterized by high TPC and TAA.