| Početna strana | Uredništvo | Časopis  | Uputstvo autorima  | Kodeks u  kliničkom i eksperimentalnom radu | Kontakt  |  
 | Home page | Editorial  board | About the Journal | Instructions for Authors | Peer Review Policy | Clinical and Experimental Work Code | Contact  |
 

 

Acta Medica Medianae
Vol. 52, No 1, March, 2013
 UDK 61
ISSN 0365-4478(Printed version)
ISSN 1821-2794(Online)
 

Correspondence to:

Fanny Ribarova

Medical University – Sofia

Medical College

3 Yordanka Filaretova Str.

Sofia 1606, Bulgaria

E-mail: fanny.r@mail.bg

Original article                                                                

UDC: 615.35:613.263(497.2)

doi:10.5633/amm.2013.0101

 

 

Bulgarian Traditional Foods – Sources of Antioxidants

 

Silvia Tsanova-Savova1, Vihren Petkov1, Emil Vodenicharov2 and Fanny Ribarova1

 

Medical University, Sofia – Medical College “Yordanka Filaretova”, Sofia, Bulgaria1

Medical University, Sofia - Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Nutrition, Sofia, Bulgaria2

 

 

Many scientific studies are focused on antioxidant activities in prevention, on their beneficial role for health status and age retardation. The main source of antioxidants for humans is the diet.

The aim of the study was to present data for antioxidant compounds in traditional Bulgarian foods, typical of Bulgarian diet.

 The traditional foods selected for this study were: onion, pepper, tomatoes, green beans, apples, and wild fruit varieties – blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. Antioxidant vitamins E and C were determined by RP-HPLC/fluorescence and UV detection. Total phenolics were determined by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay. Total flavonoids were measured by the aluminum chloride assay. Total carotenoids were determined by RP-HPLC/UV-Vis.

The results showed that the highest amount of vitamin E was found in red peppers (2.94 mg/100g), and in raspberries (1.47 mg/100g), comparable with the level in sesame (2.4 mg/100g). Red peppers were evidenced to be the richest source of vitamin C (102 mg/100g). Total phenolics and total flavonoids as a marker of food antioxidant potential had the highest level in blueberries (670 mgGAE/100g, 190.3 mgCE/100g) and blackberries (355mgGAE/100g, 55.5 mgCE/100g). Total carotenoids are mostly detected in tomatoes (7.70 mg/100g), followed by spring onion (3.50 mg/100g).

The modern analytical techniques enable the assessment of antioxidant constituents in some foods typical of the Bulgarian diet, and furthermore, on the basis of the results the assumption could be made that the Bulgarian longevity is associated not only with yogurt consumption, but with the abundance of antioxidants in the traditional diet as well. Acta Medica Medianae 2013;52(1):5-8.

 

      Key words: antioxidants, phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins E and C,

traditional foods