Nutritional value and antioxidant activity of minor fruits grown in Piemonte (Italy)

The minor fruits, particularly for their antioxidant activity, are considered functional foods, foods that provide healthful substances in addiction to calories and minerals (Goldwin, 2003). The interest in phytochemical content of minor fruit species is increasing and researches demonstrate that diets rich of these fruits can be beneficial to human health. Their uses in the past included the treatment of many diseases such as gout, cystitis, arthritic pains. This study was carried on to investigate the phenolic and anthocyanin content and the antioxidant activity in cultivated and wild minor fruits such as Ribes rubrum L. (red currant), R. nigrum L. (black currant), Rubus idaeus L. (raspberry), Rubus ulmifolius Schott. (blackberry), Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry), Morus nigra L., (black mulberry), M. alba L. (white mulberry), Hippophae rhamnoides L. (sea buckthorn), Rosa canina L. (wild rose) and Berberis vulgaris L. (common barberry) grown in Piemonte (Northern Italy). The analyses were performed according to Slinkard and Singleton (1977) for phenolics, Cheng and Breen (1991) for anthocyanins, Pellegrini et al. (2003) modified for antioxidant activity. Results indicate a high antioxidant activity in the fruits of most of the considered species and very high anthocyanin content in blackcurrants and black mulberries.