Game of Tones: sugars, organic acids, and phenolics in green and purple asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) cultivars

Authors: ANA SLATNAR, MAJA MIKULIC PETKOVSEK, FRANCI STAMPAR, ROBERT VEBERIC, JASMINA HORVAT, MARIJANA JAKSE, HELENA SIRCELJ

Abstract: The content of selected compounds was compared among different spear sections (the tip, the middle, and the base) of green (Ariane F1, Dariana F1, Darsiane F1, Mondeo F1, Primaverde F1, and Viridis F1) and purple (Burgundine F1 and Pacific Purple F1) asparagus cultivars. Sugars, organic acids, anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, and hydroxycinnamic acids were determined by HPLC. No significant differences in the content of organic acids, sugars, and hydroxycinnamic acids were detected among cultivars. However, purple cultivars contained the highest levels of anthocyanins. The content of flavonols, flavones, hydroxycinnamic acids, and total phenols were not color-dependent. High flavonol content was characteristic for all analyzed asparagus cultivars and ranged from 154.5 to 252.5 mg kg$^{-1}$ FW. The content of organic acids and phenolic compounds increases from the base to the tip of spears. On the contrary, the levels of anthocyanins and sugars were significantly higher in the basal part of asparagus spears.

Keywords: Asparagus, total phenolic content, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, color measurement, HPLC-MS

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