Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Th ree Plum Cultivars

Th e aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and antioxidants capacity of three plum cultivars, namely ‘Top’, ‘Elena’ and ‘Bistrica’. Fruits were harvested and following parameters were determined: dry matter, total acids (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), pH, vitamin C, total phenols, nonfl avonoids and antioxidant capacity. Diff erences between cultivars for most of the chemical parameters were observed. Th e cultivar ‘Bistrica’ showed higher values of dry matter, TSS, vitamin C and pH value, while ‘Top’ had higher total acids value and lowest TSS, dry matter, vitamin C and pH. Total phenolics content varied from 157.70 mg in ‘Elena’ to 344.10 mg in ‘Bistrica’, expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE), on fresh weight basis. ‘Top’ contains the highest amount of non-fl avonoids among cultivars studied. Th erefore, ‘Bistrica’ and ‘Top’ show the highest antioxidant capacity, as well. Th ere were signifi cant diff erences between total phenolics and non-fl avonoids content between ‘Elena’ and other two cultivars, while antioxidant capacity showed no signifi cant diff erence (p ≤ 0.05). Total antioxidant capacity of fruits ranged from 3.10 mmol/kg in ‘Elena’ to 3.17 mmol/kg in ‘Top’ and ‘Bistrica’.