Antioxidant activity and selected nutritional values of plums (Prunus domestica L.) typical of the White Carpathian Mountains

The paper presents a description of chemical characteristics of selected cultivars and subspecies of plum trees (Prunus domestica L). Traditional commercial cultivars were compared with typical regional cultivars originating from the same locality of the White Carpathian Mountains. In this region, growing and use of specific local cultivars, and processing of fruit for alimentary purposes are a traditional activity which has been performed there for centuries. Regional cultivars showed outstanding nutritional properties, especially as far as the total content of phenolic substances was concerned (3.48-4.95 mg GAE g(-1) FM): this parameter was highly correlated with the total antioxidant capacity of the fruit (r(2) = 0.893). A higher content of minerals and pectins in some local cultivars was also of interest. This paper demonstrates beneficial properties of some less known but regionally typical European cultivars of plums and contributes to their wider use in breeding practice and also as a potential source of nutrients for human diet. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.