Composition, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of common Indian fruits and vegetables

The present work was undertaken to evaluate the chemical composition (proximate, minerals and dietary fibre), colour parameters, antioxidant activity and polyphenol profiles of different fruits (pomegranate, kinnow, mango, banana, jambolan, grapes and sapodilla) and vegetables (beetroot, brinjal, orange carrot, bitter gourd, mentha and spinach). The amount of insoluble dietary fibre was higher than soluble dietary fibre for all fruits and vegetables. Vegetables showed superior mineral composition (higher amounts of K, Ca and Fe) as compared to fruits. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH) ranged from 354.9 to 1639.7 mg GAE/100 g, 2.6 to 5.5 and 3.0 to 6.3 mM TE/g, respectively for different fruits, while it ranged from 179.3 to 1028.6 mg GAE/100 g, 2.1 to 4.7 and 2.0 to 5.0 mM TE/g, respectively for different vegetables. Gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, quercetin, resveratrol and kaempferol were detected and quantified in different fruits and vegetables. The results highlighted that fruit peels could be used as valuable sources of minerals and polyphenols having high antioxidant activity.