Polyphenolic Estimation and Antioxidant Activity of Some Vegetables of J &K India-A Correlation Study

The total antioxidant activities of seven different vegetables were measured by FRAP method together with their estimation of total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteau method. Coriander and tomato belonged to high antioxidant activity group. In the medium group; capsicum, carrot and onion scored anti-oxidant activity of 5.65, 3.46 and 4.24 μ M Fe2+ /g FW respectively. Cucumber and radish were identified as vegetables of low anti-oxidant activity with a score of 1.12 and 1.96μ M Fe2+ /g FW respectively. Amongst the vegetables under study, three groups of vegetables could be identified which contained high, medium and low phenols. Coriander, tomato and capsicum were found to have high phenolic content ranging from 16.35 to 19.75 mg CE/100g FW. Carrot, onion and radish belonged to medium group with phenolic content ranging from 13.22 to 13.39 mg CE/100g FW. Cucumber was a solitary vegetable where total phenols were found to have as low as 10.82 mg CE/100g FW. The relationship which emerged on the basis of correlation between anti-oxidant activity and total phenolic content was found to be positive and strong. On the basis of regression analysis, it was found that independent variable, total phenols and dependent variable, anti-oxidant activity is linearly related.