Background: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to lowering the risk of chronic\ndiseases. The fruits of Malus x domestica are a rich dietary source of bioactive compounds, namely\nvitamins and antioxidants, with recognized action on human health protection. Tuscany is known\nfor its rich plant biodiversity, especially represented by ancient varieties of fruit trees. Particularly\nnoteworthy are the many ancient Tuscan varieties of apple trees. Methods: Sugar quantification via\nHPLC and spectrophotometric assays to quantify the antioxidant power and total polyphenol content\nrevealed interesting differences in 17 old varieties of Malus x domestica Borkh. recovered in Siena\n(Tuscany). Results: The quantification of antioxidants, polyphenols, and the main free sugars revealed\nthat their content in the old fruits was often superior to the widespread commercial counterparts\n(â??Red Deliciousâ?? and â??Golden Deliciousâ??). Such differences were, in certain cases, dramatic, with\n8-fold higher values. Differences were also present for sugars and fibers (pectin). Most ancient fruits\ndisplayed low values of glucose and high contents of xylitol and pectin. Conclusions: The results\nreported here suggest the possible use of ancient apple varieties from Siena for nutraceutical purposes\nand draw attention to the valorization of local old varieties.
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