Research: Organic Blueberries Are Healthier

Researchers at USDA and Rutgers University found that organically grown blueberries have superior health supporting qualities

Organic blueberries superior in health promoting content Fruit Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Flavonoid Content of Organically and Conventionally Grown Blueberries

Shiow Y. Wang,* Chi-Tsun Chen, William Sciarappa, Chien Y. Wang, and Mary J. Camp

Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory, Produce Quality and Safety Laboratory, and Biometrical Consulting Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, and Department of Agriculture and Resource Management Agents, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903

Abstract:

The effect of cultivation practices on fruit quality and antioxidant capacity in highbush blueberries var. Bluecrop (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) was evaluated from random samples of commercial late harvest fields in New Jersey. Results from this study showed that blueberry fruit grown from organic culture yielded significantly higher sugars (fructose and glucose), malic acid, total phenolics, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (ORAC) than fruit from the conventional culture. In organically cultured fruit, the average values for the ORAC, total anthocyanins, and total phenolic content were 46.14 μmol of Trolox (TE)/g of fresh weight (fwt), 131.2 mg/100 g of fwt, and 319.3 mg/100 g of fwt, respectively. In conventionally cultured fruit, the average values for the ORAC, total anthocyanin, and total phenol content were 30.8 μmol of TE/g of fwt, 82.4 mg/100 g of fwt, and 190.3 mg/100 g of fwt, respectively. The organic culture also produced fruit with higher contents of myricetin 3-arabinoside, quercetin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-galactoside, delphinidin 3-glucoside, delphinidin 3-arabinoside, petunidin 3-galactoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, and malvidin 3-arabinoside than conventional culture. There was a significant correlation between the ORAC values and total phenolics and total anthocyanins. These results indicate that even though there were variations in phytonutrient content

among individual farms within each cultural system, significant differences between two cultivation practices were evident.

Date: Friday 18th July 2008 Source: American Chemical Society Link: http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/2008/56/i14/abs/jf703775r.html

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