This study aimed to evaluate the biochemical and nutritional profiles of three cauliflower cultivars—Valentena, Carotena, and Snow White—focusing on chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, flavonoids, phenolics, and antioxidant activity. Uniform curds were harvested at 60 days post-sowing from Baratia, Dumuria, Khulna, and analyzed at Khulna Agricultural University. Valentena exhibited the highest chlorophyll content (40.06±0.39 µg/100g FW chlorophyll a, 28.98±3.35 µg/100g FW chlorophyll b), superior lycopene (8.71±0.38 µg/100g FW) levels. Carotena showed the highest total carotenoid content (60.52±1.76 µg/100g FW) and β-carotene (26.99±0.44 µg/100g FW), while Snow White had the lowest values across most parameters. Valentena also led in anthocyanins (101.56±3.9 mg/L FW) and total flavonoids (79.56±10.36 mg/100g FW), with Carotena having the highest vitamin C content (60.05±2.93 µg/g FW). DPPH assays indicated that Valentena showed the most effective antioxidant (IC50 = 43.65±3.56 mg/mL FW), followed by Carotena and Snow White. Hierarchical clustering and pricipal component analysis (PCA) revealed distinct biochemical profiles: Valentena and Carotena shared similarities in carotenoids and antioxidant activity, whereas Snow White differed significantly. Linear discriminant analysis identified lycopene, chlorophyll b, and β-carotene as major differentiators, highlighting the diverse nutritional and antioxidant properties of these cauliflower varieties. The findings highlight the potential of Carotena and Valentena for health-conscious consumers seeking nutrient-rich, antioxidant benefits in functional meals.

As a part of prospecting bioactive molecules from natural resources, the phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of extracts of leaves and berries oilcake of Pistacia lentiscus L., collected from two sites (Mechat and Bordj-Ali) in the northeast region of Algeria, were investigated. Dried leaves and berries oilcake obtained after removing the oily part by mean of Soxhlet apparatus were macerated in methanol in order to recover their respective active extracts. The phytochemical content analysis showed that lentisk leaves of both sites were relatively rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols and proanthocyanidins. The phytochemical content of berries oilcake extract was lower than that of leaves, yet, samples of Bordj-Ali displayed higher values for all assayed phytochemicals compared to those of Mechat. The P. lentiscus leaves extract exhibited a strong radical-scavenging activity (IC50 = 10.46 µg/mL) against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and a substantial inhibitory activity against H2O2 free radicals (20.23 - 25.92%). Furthermore, these extracts displayed a very strong reducing power (EC50 = 28.08 µg/mL) and total antioxidant capacity (104.07 - 159.39 mg EAA/g DW). The observed results correlated positively with total phytochemical content strongly plead in favor of valorization of this wild plant as a potential natural source of active biomolecules for food, cosmetics, and medicinal industry sectors.

Anthocyanins, a major natural food colorant rich in mango powder, need considerable protection during processing and storage for better retention due to colour instability. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the stability of the anthocyanin’s extracts obtained from cabinet dried mango powder under different factors which could disrupted the anthocyanin pigments during processing. The factors are processing temperature and time (30°C, 60°C and 80°C for 10, 20 and 30 minutes each, respectively), storage conditions (room temperature, refrigerator temperature and freezing temperature), pH (2, 3, 4, 7 and 10), oxygen, influence of light, different extraction solvent (methanol, absolute ethanol, acidified ethanol (1%), and 50% KMS -Ethanol), sugar level (20%, 40%, and 60%). The intensity of the extracted colour was measured at wavelength 520 nm using UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The results can elucidate the increasing heating temperature and time, sugar content, and exposure to light is able to spoil the anthocyanin molecule. There was a proportional effect of pH and oxygen. The anthocyanin stability was found better in pH=10, acidified ethanol (1%) as extracting solvents, absence of light as processing condition and refrigeration temperature as storage temperature. Hence, these findings could be useful in the food industry to choose a proper processing condition for development of mango powders-based products for satisfying the consumer perception by retaining anthocyanin pigment.