Antioxidant Properties of Pecan Kernels
Academic Article
Overview
Research
Identity
Additional Document Info
View All
Overview
abstract
Pecan kernels from cvs.: Kanza, Nacono, Pawnee, Shawnee, and Desirable were collected and analyzed for their antioxidant capacity (AC), total phenolic content (TP), condensed tannin content (CT), and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) phenolic profile. Values obtained for antioxidant capacity assessed with the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) assay (ACORAC) followed the trend 'Kanza' > 'Nacono' 'Shawnee' 'Pawnee' > 'Desirable'. Similar trends were observed for TP, CT, and AC measured with the DPPH assay. 'Kanza' had the greatest ACORACvalue and 'Desirable' the least, with 817 and 372 moles of trolox equivalents/g defatted kernel, respectively. Cultivars differed greatly in their phenolic content; CT ranged from 23 to 47 mg catechin equivalents/g defatted kernel and TP from 62 to 106 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents/g defatted kernel. After basic-acid hydrolysis, gallic and ellagic acids were identified, suggesting the presence of hydrolyzable tannins. The presence of phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity indicates that pecan kernels should be added to the list of important dietary sources of antioxidants.
