Bioactive compounds, pigment content and antioxidant capacity of selected cabbage cultivars

Abstract

Abstract The main aim of this research was to determine the amount of bioactive compounds and antioxidants, as well as differences in chemical composition between six cabbage cultivars. Also, the amount of pigment compounds and relationship between chromaticity parameters between selected cabbage cultivars was determined. The significant differences (p≤0.0001) of all analyzed chemical parameters were determined. According to the obtained results of pigment composition, white cabbage cultivars contained the higher amounts of total chlorophylls (average 3.15 mg g-1 fresh weight), while red cabbage cultivars contained the higher amounts of anthocyanins (average 696.08 mg kg-1 fresh weight). Red cabbage cultivars contained the higher amounts of biologically active compounds. Average values of total phenols, total flavonoids, non-flavonoids and vitamin C were as follows: 172.45 mg GAE 100 g-1 fresh weight, 88.88 mg GAE 100 g-1 fresh weight, 83.59 mg GAE 100 g-1 fresh weight and 28.49 mg 100 g-1 fresh weight. Higher antioxidant capacity was determined in red cabbage cultivars. On average, in red cabbage cultivars even 3.9 times higher antioxidant capacity was determined compared to the selected white cabbage cultivars.

Keywords

• antioxidants
• Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata
• chemical composition
• pigments
• total phenols
• vitamin C