TITLE:
Nutrients and Bioactive Molecules of the Early and Late Cultivars of the Treviso Red Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)
AUTHORS:
Laura D’Evoli, Massimo Lucarini, José Sanchez del Pulgar, Altero Aguzzi, Paolo Gabrielli, Elena Azzini, Ginevra Lombardi-Boccia
KEYWORDS:
Treviso Red Cichory, Ascorbic Acid, Anthocyanins, Polyphenols, Minerals, Dietary Fiber
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.8 No.5,
May
10,
2017
ABSTRACT: The study provides original data on the compositional profile (macronutrients, dietary fiber, mineral and trace
elements, bioactive molecules) of an Italian typical plant foods, Treviso Red Cichory, studying the two cultivars (Early, Late) grown following two different traditional cultivation
systems. For two consecutive years
plants from three growing areas, were studied. Major, significant differences, between Early and Late cultivars, were observed in minerals (Ca, Mg, P), trace elements (Fe, Zn)
and bioactive molecules content. The Late cv. was found the richest in minerals and trace elements content than
the Early cv., but for Ca. Treviso Red Cichory was found a valuable source of bioactive molecules such as ascorbic
acid, anthocyanins and total polyphenols. The Early cv. showed a significantly higher (p Late cv. (6.15 and 24.38 mg/100g, respectively), by
contrast total polyphenols content was significantly higher (p Late cv. A
marked variability in bioactive molecules content among the growing areas was found only for the Late cv. The observed differences between the Early and Late cultivars could be strictly related to the traditional growing systems applied during
plant’s growth.