Effect of a variety of polyphenols compounds and antioxidant properties of rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum)

• Published in: Food science & technology 2020-01, Vol.118, p.108775, Article 108775
• Main Authors: Kalisz, Stanisław, Oszmiański, Jan, Kolniak-Ostek, Joanna, Grobelna, Anna, Kieliszek, Marek, Cendrowski, Andrzej
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant properties; Harvest season; LC-MS QTof; Polyphenols; Rhubarb
• ISSN: 0023-6438; 1096-1127
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2019.108775

Rhubarb (Rheum spp.) is a plant characterized by very high antioxidant properties. It is very rich in many compounds that have a pro-health effect on the human body. Polyphenols are natural plant substances that can be a very important component in the prevention of various diseases. Therefore, the use of rhubarb as an interesting plant material in various industries has recently increased. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the harvest date and rhubarb variety on the content of polyphenolic compounds. The quantitative determination of polyphenols was performed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Rhubarb stalks of two Polish varieties Viktoria and Red Malinowy were used in the study. It was found that rhubarb is a source of flavan-3-ols (86.57–195.98 mg/100 gdm), flavonols (49.79–73.49 mg/100 gdm), anthocyanins (4.33–96.20 mg/100 gdm), and gallotannin (6.32–13.56 mg/100 gdm). Red Malinowy rhubarb from spring harvest was characterized by the highest and VA rhubarb was characterized by the lowest total antioxidant activity. It should be emphasized that the content of individual compounds depended on the variety and the date of harvest of rhubarb. Furthermore, the study revealed a high correlation between the polyphenol content and the total antioxidant capacity. •We determined polyphenol and antioxidant properties of two varieties of rhubarb.•The highest content of flavan-3-ols was recorded for Red Malinowy rhubarb from spring harvest.•The total procyanidins was the smallest for Victoria rhubarb from spring harvest.•Antioxidant potential was greatly affected by harvest time.•Red Malinowy rhubarb from spring harvest possessed considerable antioxidant activity.