Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Wild greens are considered a rich source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants and an essential part of the
so-called Mediterraneandiet. Inthepresent study, Cichorium spinosum L. ecotypes, cultivatedor collected in situ fromwild plants
from the eastern Mediterranean, were evaluated regarding their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity.
RESULTS: Significant differences were observed among the various studied ecotypes regarding their phenolic compound
content and profile, especially between wild and cultivated ecotypes, as well as the phenolic acid content between commercial
productsandcultivatedplants. The antioxidant activity also variedamongthe various studied ecotypesandgrowing conditions,
with commercial products having the highest antioxidant activity, whereas wild ecotypes showed lower antioxidant activity.
CONCLUSION: Cichorium spinosum leaves are a rich source of chicoric and 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, while significant differences in
total phenolic acids, flavonoids and phenolic compound content and in antioxidant activity were observed among the studied
ecotypes, as well as between the tested growing conditions. According to the results of the present study, further valorization
of C. spinosum species has great potential, since it could be used as a new alternative species in the food industry.
Description
Keywords
antioxidant activity bioactive compounds chicoric acid Cichorium spinosum phenolic compounds
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Petropoulos, Spyridon A.; Fernandes, Ângela; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R. (2018). A comparison of the phenolic profile and antioxidant activity of different Cichorium spinosum L. ecotypes. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. ISSN 0022-5142. 98, p. 183-189