Variation of Phenolics and Antioxidant Activity between Peel and Pulp Parts of Pear (pyrus Communis L.) Fruit

The aim of present study was to appraise the antioxidant activity and phenolic contents in peel and pulp parts from two locally harvested verities of pear. The extraction yield of antioxidant components obtained with 80% methanol (80:20 methanol-water v/v) was found to be 14.30-17.50% for peel and 11.50-13.00 g/100 g for pulp on dry weight basis. The total phenolic contents and total flavoniod contents in peel and pulp parts the fruits tested varied over 601.50-619.25, 333.90355.80 mg GAE/100g and 543.50-561.30, 270.50-290.50 mg CE/100g, respectively. Reducing power, in terms of absorbance values, of peel and pulp extract (at 12.5 mg/mL concentration) ranged between 0.56-0.58 and 0.30-0.32, respectively. DPPH radical scavenging activity and inhibition of linoleic acid peroxidation varied from 49.71-49.94% and 60.32-60.60% in peel and 27.89-28.29% and 34.15-34.45% in pulp. The results of our present study indicate that pear peel exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity and phenolic contents compared to the pulp and thus, being an agrowaste, can be explored as a viable source of natural antioxidants for the functional food and pharmaceutical applications.