Quantification of carotenoids in zucchini (Cuburbita pepo L. subsp. pepo) cultivars cultivated in Almerica by liquid chromatography
2012
Río-Celestino, M del | Gomez, P. | Villatoro-Pulido, M. | Moya, M. | Domínguez-Pérez, I. | Martínez-Valdivieso, D. | Font, R. | Muñoz Serrano, A. | Alonso-Moraga, A.
There are numerous reports in the scientific literature showing that one can reduce the risk of acquiring some types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, stroke, obesity, diverticulosis, and cataracts by eating a variety of vegetables and fruits. This has been attributed to their content in antioxidants, such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamins C and E. Carotenoids are natural pigments which are synthesized by plants and are responsible for the bright colors of various fruits and vegetables such as Cucurbita species. The genus Cucurbita includes the cultivated species Cucurbita pepo L. subsp. pepo (zucchini). Zucchini is easily grown in the agricultural and climatic conditions of Almeria (Spain), and it is part of the everyday food of their inhabitants. The objective of this study was to determine the content of carotenoids in the endocarp and the epicarp in six cultivars of zucchini currently cultivated in Almeria (Spain) by means of HPLC. Variations in the carotenoid content of zucchini were found depending on the cultivars and the part of the fruit studied. Epicarp showed a higher carotenoid content than mesocarp. The major carotenoids present in the mesocarp of all of the lines were the xanthophyll lutein and the hydrocarbons β-carotenes. Lower levels of zeaxanthins were also present in mesocarp, and β-cryptoxanthin were identified in epicarp. The results of this study clearly show that the darker green coloured zucchini fruit are indicative of higher carotenoid levels.
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