Background – Blueberries are considered a healthy addition to the diet as a rich source of antioxidants. Although the nutritional content of blueberries is highly affected by environmental growing conditions, no research has been published on New Zealand - grown blueberries varieties.
Objective – To investigate antioxidant activities and total phenolic content of four NZ grown blueberry cultivars. Design – Atlanta, Burlington, Jersey and Stanley blueberries were harvested from one commercial producer in Canterbury, New Zealand. Total phenolic content (TPC) was measured using Folin–Ciocalteu reagent and
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antioxidantactivitiesusingthesuperoxideanion(O2 )scavengingactivity(SASA)methodandtheDPPHmethod.
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Outcomes – TPC of NZ blueberries ranged from 230.10 ± 18.00 to 497.10 ± 63.20 mg GAE.100g
blueberries had significantly (P<0.001) higher TPC than other varieties. Antioxidant activity (SASA) was significantly (P<0.05) different between cultivars. Burlington showed highest activity (1369 ± 141GAE mg/100 g). There was a significant correlation between TPC and SASA (r = 0.58, P<0.05). Antioxidant activity by DPPH showed no differences between cultivars (P >0.05).
Conclusion – TPC of NZ blueberries is similar to blueberries grown in America. This study suggests Burlington may offer a slight advantage in antioxidant content over Atlanta, Jersey and Stanley cultivars.